The Second Time Around
by ilovetvalot
Summary: When someone threatens David Rossi's second ex-wife, Elizabeth Hudson,can they put the past behind them long enough to stay alive. Special appearances by the cast of Scandal, especially Olivia Pope. THIS IS A NEW EPIC!
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: This epic is written for the OC Challenge on Chit Chat on Author's Corner. Check it out! All reviews and messages are appreciated! Hang on to your hats, friends. You're in for a bumpy, whacky ride!**

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**The Second Time Around**

**Chapter One**

Looking around at the devastation surrounding her, Elizabeth Hudson swallowed hard as she clutched her phone in one hand while her eyes darted around her apartment. _Just keep it together, Lizbet. Just wait for Livy and keep it together. _

Not many things were capable of shaking the firm foundation she'd built for herself in the last five years. She'd worked hard to get where she was…to achieve success on her own merits. She'd shed blood, sweat and tears to build this life for herself. And in a few violent moments, that was over. The walls she'd constructed so carefully had begun to crumble around her.

Blowing wisps of her gleaming copper hair back from her eyes, she concentrated on making a mental list of what was completely destroyed. Her television. Her computer….her couch was completely trashed. Most of what she could see so far was completely beyond salvage, much to her chagrin. Obviously whoever had targeted her was intent on imparting a single terrifying message.

Next time, it wouldn't just be her belongings damaged beyond repair.

Her breath came in harsh rasps as she tried to convince herself to move…to check out the rest of her home. But, for some reason, her feet seemed anchored to the floor, weighted down with her own fears.

"Elizabeth!" she heard her longtime friend, Olivia yelling as her footsteps pounded down the hallway toward her door. "Lizbet!"

"I'm here," Elizabeth called back, her normally calm voice now shaking. "I'm in here, Livy!"

"Oh my God," Olivia Pope gasped, as she reached the threshold to her friend's apartment, her widened eyes taking in the destruction in one sweeping glance. Her ebony skin gleamed with sweat as she carefully sidestepped broken glass and made her way to her friend's side. "Are you okay? Are you hurt?" she asked urgently, grasping Lizbet's pale arms and turning the younger woman toward her as she scanned her body for unseen injuries.

"I wasn't here, Livy," Lizbet whispered. "I was at the book signing you scheduled for me, remember?"

Catching her breath, Olivia Pope blinked. That's right. Elizabeth had been engaged for a signing at Barnes and Noble this afternoon promoting her newest release, "Savage Thunder". "Thank God!" she muttered, hugging her friend. Glancing behind her, she knocked some of the couch's foam off the armchair and urged the other woman to sit down. "Have you called the police yet, Lizbet?" she asked calmly, her mind already spinning.

Shaking her head, Elizabeth whispered, "No. Just you. I only called you. I didn't want to give this guy publicity by calling it in without talking to you first. I thought he'd get bored, Livy," Lizbet said, her voice cracking under the strain. "I thought it was just some juvenile idiot playing a joke."

Gripping her friend's hands as she knelt in front of her, Liv shook her head. "Elizabeth, you have a _stalker_. One that is clearly spiraling out of control," she said with a look around the room.

"I'm an author, Liv….not some actress that's in the public eye. I write romance novels, for Christ sake!"

"It doesn't matter, Lizbet. For whatever reason, a psychopath has targeted _you_. He's invaded your home, destroyed your possessions, and now," Olivia said, with a slow look at the mirror above the fireplace, "he's made a direct threat of personal harm. You're in danger."

Following Liv's gaze to the cracked mirror, the message was clear and ominous. "Until we meet again," she whispered, shivering as she tightened her hands around Olivia's.

"Listen to me…this has gone way beyond anonymous floral arrangements and creepy hang up calls. This guy has escalated into physical violence. You are now officially in danger. This is a crisis, Liz. Let me do my job and manage it before someone gets hurt," she said, squeezing the younger woman's fingers as she met her eyes. "You know who we need to call," she said softly.

"You don't mean….," Elizabeth gasped, jerking her hands from Livy's grip. "No! Absolutely not. We'll call the police. I'll get a restraining order. I'll…"

"First of all, I think the FBI will have the capabilities of DC's finest beaten hands down. Second, it's impossible to get a restraining order against someone for which you do not know the identity. And third, if there's one thing we can depend on, it's that if we call _him_, he'll show up."

"Oh, he'll show up, all right," Elizabeth returned, stiffening at the mere thought of what Livy proposed. "He'll show up and take over my life, Olivia! You know he will. I worked for five years to get over him. I've finally moved on with my life! In the time it took me, _he's_ already been remarried and divorced for a third time! No!"

Nose curling at the mentioned of that ill fated third marriage, Olivia shook his head. "He realized he made a mistake the second he put the ring on that golddigger's finger, Lizbet. He told me so. It was a rebound reaction, sweetie."

"_It hurt!_" Elizabeth yelled, her words bouncing off of the walls in the small room. "How can you even suggest him after the way he left me? You were _there_, Livy. You saw what it did to me," she said with a voice that shook.

"He didn't fare any better, Elizabeth," Olivia reminded the other woman gently. "We both know that you've never stopped loving him. Maybe it's time to see if there's anything still there worth trying to save," she suggested.

"You've lost your mind," Elizabeth replied succinctly. "How such an incredibly smart woman can say something so positively…"

"Truthful?" Olivia challenged with a crooked smile, her eyes daring the younger woman to argue. "He still cares about you, Lizbet. He pumps me for information about you every single time he sees me. That doesn't exactly sound like he's over you, either."

"He's an infinitely nosy son of a goat," Elizabeth retorted. Seeing Livy's lips twitch, she wrinkled her nose. "Look, I liked his mother too much to refer to her as a bitch," she said defensively. "Sue me."

"Yeah, you are _completely_ over him," Olivia scoffed. "Let's just go to my place. I'll get in touch with him and set up a meeting on neutral ground. We'll get his advice and make our decisions from there. Unless you'd rather stay here. Alone. With a whack job on your tail?" she asked sarcastically.

"Why are we friends again?" Elizabeth muttered.

"Haven't you heard? I slay dragons," Olivia smiled, holding out her hand to the other woman.

Wrinkling her nose as she let her friend lead her out of the room, Elizabeth whispered, "Yeah? How 'bout ex-husbands? What would you charge for something like that?"


	2. Chapter 2

**The Second Time Around**

**Chapter Two**

Pushing open the door to his darkened office, David Rossi automatically dropped his briefcase on the table next to the wall as he shrugged out of his jacket. Seconds later, he hung it on the coat rack, then absently reached for the nearby light switch.

If all went well this morning, he might just catch up on those damned reports that Strauss had been harping for him to complete. Not that he really cared about doing anything that would make the Wicked Witch of the West happy…but there was another woman that held his well-regarded respect. He was well aware of the fact that Penelope Garcia was responsible for tagging their case files, and that one-woman army could make his life a living hell if she so chose.

He might be stubborn, but he didn't have a death wish. Better to choose his battles wisely and live to fight another day.

Turning toward his desk, though, Dave felt his heart leap in his chest as he let out a strangled curse. "What the fucking hell, Liv? Are you trying to kill me?"

Smiling benignly as she sat comfortably in the thousand-dollar desk chair, Olivia Pope tapped her fingers against his desk. "Good morning to you, too, David." Glancing down at her watch, she clucked her tongue. "You're keeping some very strange hours. Fortunately, I keep stranger ones."

"Christ!" Dave growled, narrowing his eyes as he adjusted to the newcomer in his space. "Try announcing yourself next time. Or, better yet, make an appointment," he glowered at the unconcerned woman sitting behind his desk.

"I like having the element of surprise on my side," Olivia replied as she shrugged negligently. "Keeps my adversaries on their toes," she added with a wide smile.

"So, now I'm the enemy," Dave grumbled, shoving one hand in his pocket as he leaned his hip against the desk.

"Keep up, David. You've _been_ the enemy for quite a while now, but I'm here to offer you an opportunity to change all that. And if you are the _very_ smart profiler that I know you do be, you'll jump at the chance."

"Don't we have security around this joint anymore?" Dave grumbled. "I thought you'd been banned from the Federal Building."

"Too bad that your security guard is having an ongoing tryst with the Director of Media Affairs. He thought it best to look the other way," Olivia said casually, carelessly picking a piece of lint from her skirt and let it flutter from her fingertips. "Would you care to focus on the topic at hand now?" she asked pleasantly. "If another five minutes of banter will help you catch your bearings, though, I'm willing," she said generously.

"How did you even know I'd be in this early?" Dave muttered darkly as he motioned at her, circling his desk to sit down in the chair she just vacated.

"Lucky guess?" Olivia replied sweetly, arching one brow as she walked casually around the edge of his bookcase.

"There's no such thing for you, Liv. Your bread and butter is obtaining information," he snorted, privately thinking that while irritating, it made her the best at what she did. Crisis manager, his ass. The woman was a fixer, as efficient as any mafia man he'd ever known. Narrowing his eyes, he growled, "You had that Huck character hack our system again, didn't you? Do you have any idea how cranky that makes Garcia?"

Smiling benignly, Olivia shrugged. "That, David, would be _your_ personnel problem. Not mine. Although, I really don't understand why Ms. Garcia won't give my firm a closer look…we'd certainly treat her much better than the Bureau. We don't concern ourselves with all those pesky privacy laws."

"Quit trying to poach my favorite tech," Dave growled, glaring at her again, well acquainted with the woman's tricks at snagging the best for herself.

"Based on my intelligence, she's just one of many women you've left unsatisfied," Liv returned easily.

"Are you here for a reason, or did you just want to spend time twisting an already painful knife in my chest?" Dave asked sarcastically, one dark brow arching high on his forehead. "I've got work to do."

"Don't we all?" Olivia replied calmly, the retort a bare thread hidden in her otherwise modulated tone. "I'm here to call in my marker, David. Four years ago, I did you a favor against my better judgment. I warned you then, eventually, I'd call in the debt. Today is that day."

"I always pay my debts." Dave nodded slowly, his perceptive eyes raking Olivia's purposefully bland face. "As long as it isn't illegal," he said pointedly.

Smirking, Olivia raised an eyebrow. "I never break any actual laws. Not the big ones at any rate," she said, lifting her shoulders carelessly.

"What do you want, Liv?" Dave asked bluntly.

"My explanation requires a field trip," she replied, leaning forward to slide a card across the desk toward him. "Be at that address in half an hour," she directed, steel lining the request.

Glancing at the ivory card, Dave's frowned deepened as he lifted startled eyes to Olivia's unreadable face. "This is Elizabeth's address."

"Ding, ding, ding," a Scottish brogue purred from the far darkened corner of Dave's office. "Give the mate a prize."

"Shit!" Dave yelped, jerking toward the sound, his hand hitting a stack of files and sending them flying toward the floor. "What the hell are you doing here?" he barked at Stephen Finch, Olivia's long time associate. "Is he your idea of a bodyguard?" Dave barked at the serene looking ebony beauty in front of him.

"Of course not," Olivia said with a smile, rolling her eyes. "He's my idea of a witness."

Rising behind his desk, Dave looked from one face to the other. "Somebody needs to start explaining things to me very quickly before I lose my temper," he threatened. "Is Lizbet in danger? Has something happened to her, Livy?"

"She's safe, for now," Olivia replied seriously. "How long she stays that way depends in large part on what choice you make, David. Now, I'm going to repeat myself and you know how much I hate doing that. Be at that address," she ordered, nodding at the card he still gripped in his hand, "in half an hour and I'll continue explaining the situation."

"So, you're representing Elizabeth? This is a case for you? You've already voted and everything?" Dave asked, his eyes narrowed as Olivia turned to collect her coat and bag.

"You know better than that, mate," Stephen snorted from the corner before strolling to Olivia's side. "Lizbet is family."

"And we don't vote on _family_, David," Olivia continued, her own chocolate eyes flashing. "Is your memory failing in your advanced age?"

"I was family once, too, Olivia," Dave replied, his jaw clenching. "When did that change? Explain to me how the hell Elizabeth got _you_ in the divorce?"

"Simple, David. She got _me_ the day you decided to lie and blow her world apart. Be at that address, Dave," she said in a tone that suggested any argument would not be tolerated. "There's something you need to see there. Time's ticking," she said, tapping her watch before sweeping from the office, Stephen trailing in her wake.


	3. Chapter 3

_Author's Note: Okay, first, thank you to everyone reading, reviewing, favoriting and alerting our stories. We truly appreciate your comments._

_First, we want to offer you a quick rundown of activities and threads that are ongoing at the forum:_

_We've also introduced a "Help Wanted" thread to the forum for authors that are looking for assistance with various writing complications that come up. Perhaps you want someone to bounce ideas with, or maybe you need a beta….this is the place to post an ad for what you are looking for. We've also reopened the "Chat Chat Among the Authors" thread to discuss spoilers or ask questions. The "Getting to Know YOU…Tell us about yourself" thread is open. Swing by there to introduce yourself whether you are a reader or an author. We'd love to meet you._

**_And lastly don't forget our "Pay It forward Review Incentive Program". From now until the end of MAY, anyone that reviews a ROMANCE related story is eligible to win an gift card. Details found on thread at forum._**

_This week's author of the week is the talented Nebula2. Please swing by that thread to ask questions about their writing and/or stories. In addition, there are several other threads open for comment. We hope to see each of you there._

**The Second Time Around**

**Chapter Three**

Pulling to a stop at the edge of the well-manicured curb, David Rossi shifted his SUV into park and killed the engine before stepping out and leaning against the vehicle. Sighing, he stared at the small house that was almost hidden beneath the overhanging limbs of what had to be the world's oldest tree. It was a wonder the behemoth hadn't given up the ghost and collapsed on the house in the middle of one of DC's frequent storms.

He could still remember the day she had found this house. The sparkle in her eyes when she had drug him through the front door in the wake of the realtor was all he needed to know that she was hooked. Her oohs and ahhs about the unique gingerbread trim and the nooks and crannies that seemed to be tucked into every corner only grew more enthusiastic with each room they stepped foot into. And while he had tried to convince her that the place was too small for them, she had pleaded with him to just give it a whirl. And since he was unable to deny her anything then, he had indeed placed his bid and given her dream house.

But the dream had turned to a nightmare when his marriage to the Lizbet had begun to unravel, the fabric of their joined lives suddenly far more fragile than he had ever realized. She had reluctantly left the small cottage for a much larger (and what she termed ostentatious) location when his first book had hit the bestseller's list and the royalties came in like Niagara Falls. But in a way, that new house that he was certain was best for them had never been their home.

And when their marriage had finally been dealt the deathblow, by his own act of stupid machismo at that, Lizbet had quietly left and found her way back to the one place she had always said made her feel comfortable and safe.

This house.

And now, that security had been shattered again. Although he wasn't her husband any longer, he still refused to allow her to be harmed….not if he could do something about it.

His throat tightened as he spotted the aging weathered swing shifting slightly in the breeze at the corner of the wraparound porch. How many nights had he sat there with Elizabeth during those first happy years of their eight year union? Holding hands while they watched the neighborhood children play, they'd planned their future. That had been before fame and fortune had beckoned, a time before life his life had been complicated by demand and desire. He'd been a simple profiler back then. Just a man that enjoyed his job a lot and his marriage a lot more.

Why the hell hadn't he been able to see then how lucky he was? Why the hell was having "more" such a driving force?

Elizabeth had been a wonderful woman. Hell, she'd been everything he'd thought he could ever want. When he'd met her, she'd been a twenty-two year old college graduate, happy and vibrant and in the throes of her first real job as a copy editor for his publishing company. It was how they'd met; she'd been assigned to red pen his first novel. They'd debated and argued over every single mark she'd made against that manuscript. Even back then he'd been a controlling son of a bitch, he thought with a mental smile as he remembered how she'd met him barb for wicked barb. That woman had challenged him at every turn, making him work double time to keep up with her. The age difference hadn't bothered either of them, mostly because for such a young woman, she'd had a very wise mind. From an upper middle class family, there'd been twenty odd years separating her own mother and father, so the sixteen years between them hadn't given her pause.

No, the years between hadn't hurt their marriage; he'd done that all on his own.

"David," Olivia Pope called impatiently from the front door, hands on her hips. Care to join us?" she asked irritably.

Shaking off the past, Dave nodded, striding to the door with long steps. "I still can't believe she kept this place," he muttered as he joined her and Stephen at the entrance. "Seems like an awful lot of upkeep for one woman."

Merely raising an eyebrow, Olivia shrugged. "She had happy memories here. Maybe she wanted to hold on to them. I, however, would have sold it and tried to forget I'd known you."

"Yeah, Liv, I think we all get where you stand on the subject of me," Dave retorted, bristling. Yes, the divorce had been his fault, but damn it, he'd paid a heavy price for his stupidity. He didn't need her or anybody else to rub his nose in the clusterfuck he'd made of his marriage. There wasn't a day that went by that he didn't remember and mourn what he'd thrown away for the sake of wounded pride. Not that he'd share any of that with her. "I am here for a reason, right?" he asked gruffly, ignoring Steven when he rolled his eyes at them.

"Yes, you are," she replied tersely, unlocking the door and gesturing for him to precede her across the threshold.

Stepping over the welcome mat, Dave's heart stuttered in his chest as he gaped at the room around him. Torn furniture, broken pictures, hell, even pieces of plaster littered the floor. "Son of a bitch!" he hissed through his teeth, stiffening as he realized someone had not just vandalized Elizabeth's treasured home….they'd violated it.

Spinning on his heel, his murderous gaze turned on Olivia and Stephen, standing silently just inside the door. "Tell me she wasn't here," he demanded. "Tell me she isn't hurt!" he bit out.

"No," Olivia denied softly. "She wasn't home, David. Do you think that even I could remain this calm if she had been?"

The woman made a valid point. Olivia was cool as a cucumber under fire….right up until her family was threatened, and she thought of Lizbet as the little sister she never had.

"She came home and found the place ransacked. She called me and I arrived about ten minutes after she did. She didn't want to involve the police and draw the media's attention. Along with being your ex-wife, she's gained some notoriety on her own, you know? Bestselling romance author….I had Huck come in and secure the house until I got you involved. He did a cursory canvas of the neighborhood, but nobody saw anything useful."

"The crime scene hasn't been contaminated then?" he asked roughly, trying to look around with a dispassionate eye and finding it impossible.

"Do I seem like an amateur to you?" Olivia asked sarcastically. "I said Huck secured it. I think we both realize that he's more than qualified."

He ought to be, Dave thought grimly, recalling the ex-CIA operative that Olivia had taken into the fold several years ago. That kid had probably done things he didn't want to spend time imagining, which, was saying a lot for him.

"I need to look around," he muttered, his jaw clenching as he sidestepped one of Elizabeth's collection of vases, cracked beyond repair now. If he wasn't mistaken, that was the crystal one he'd given her on their first anniversary.

"We'll wait here," Olivia replied, crossing her arms over her chest as she carefully watching him step through the damaged room. "Seeing it once was enough for me, but if you find Lizbet's cat, Mr. Whiskers, grab him. She's worrying herself sick about him, and Huck couldn't find him last night."


	4. Chapter 4

_Author's Note: Okay, first, thank you to everyone reading, reviewing, favoriting and alerting our stories. We truly appreciate your comments._

_First, we want to offer you a quick rundown of activities and threads that are ongoing at the forum:_

_We've also introduced a "Help Wanted" thread to the forum for authors that are looking for assistance with various writing complications that come up. Perhaps you want someone to bounce ideas with, or maybe you need a beta….this is the place to post an ad for what you are looking for. We've also reopened the "Chat Chat Among the Authors" thread to discuss spoilers or ask questions. The "Getting to Know YOU…Tell us about yourself" thread is open. Swing by there to introduce yourself whether you are a reader or an author. We'd love to meet you._

_And lastly don't forget our "Pay It forward Review Incentive Program". From now until the end of MAY, anyone that reviews a ROMANCE related story is eligible to win an gift card. Details found on thread at forum._

_This week's author of the week is the talented Bren Gail. Please swing by that thread to ask questions about their writing and/or stories. In addition, there are several other threads open for comment. We hope to see each of you there._

* * *

**The Second Time Around**

**Chapter Four**

Forcing himself to close off his emotions and focus on the shattered remains around him, Dave drew in a deep breath and pulled out his notebook from his pocket. Read the facts, he cautioned himself as he stared around the room with a dispassionate gaze.

Each room seemed to progress from one level of frustration to another….both for him and for the monster that had inflicted this damage. As he stepped from the living room to the dining room into the airy kitchen, he found himself following an increasingly violent trail of destruction. He winced as he stared at the shattered knock-off Tiffany light fixture now lying on the kitchen's stone floor. Raising his eyes slowly to the ceiling, he felt his jaw tighten as he stared at the exposed wires now hanging from the gaping hole.

The unsub had grown frustrated with each passing moment in the home. And for a moment, Dave allowed his emotions to rise to the surface as he offered up a silent prayer to his God that Lizbet had not been in the home when this person had become untethered from whatever frail leash tied him to reality.

Shoving his notebook in his pocket, his thoughts already formed and recorded, Dave carefully picked his steps and made his way toward the short staircase. Picture frames lay battered and scattered against the steps, and he stopped for a moment to stare down at one that seemed to have taken excessive abuse. The picture itself had been torn out of the frame, and only half appeared to remain…a half with him in it, the print of a heel ground into his face. And if he wasn't mistaken, that picture had been taken on his honeymoon with Lizbet….with her smiling and as happy as he had ever seen her.

Pulling out his notebook again, he made a quick note to grab the picture and have the heel print analyzed before making his way up the stairs. And if he had his way, the son of a bitch that had dared to violate her home would pay dearly for it.

Stopping first inside the bathroom, he noted that the room was almost completely untouched other than the small bottles of Elizabeth's perfumes and lotions shattered against the wall. Streaks of her cosmetics marred the mirror over the sink, but the rest of the room remained largely untouched.

Each of the spare bedrooms was remarkably the same. It was as if once the bastard had destroyed any little personal touch she'd made to the space, he'd bored easily and moved on.

Finally reaching the master bedroom, he paused for a moment and steeled himself before he slowly pushed open the door. Releasing a muffled curse as he spotted the grey and black bundle of fur lying haphazardly over the edge of the white bedspread, his gut clenched painfully.

"Damn it all to hell," he growled as he tried to control his quickening breath. Lizbet loved that cat. And whoever was after her had taken his first victim.

"David?" Olivia asked from somewhere behind him down the hall. "What's…."

Quickly snapping the door closed, Dave turned and shook his head. "Liv, trust me on this. Stay where you are. You do not want to see this."

"What?" Liv asked sharply as she felt Stephen's presence behind her. "Lizbet's bedroom wasn't touched. Huck checked last night."

"Then the unsub returned after he left," Dave said quietly, his fingers tightening against the door knob.

The gravity of that statement wasn't lost on Olivia. Steadying herself against the wall, her eyes widened. "Mr. Whiskers?"

"Chasing catnip in the Great Beyond, Liv," Dave stated softly on a sigh, remembering easily the moment Elizabeth had adopted the stray cat. From that time forward, the feline had ruled and reigned his domain, secure in the fact that the woman with the beautiful red hair would provide for his every need. Damn it all to hell….someone was going to have to tell her about this.

Releasing a shaky breath, she forced herself to turn and look at the man behind her. "Stephen?"

"Already on it," the fixer returned briskly, his phone already in hand. "I'll have Quinn start to quietly ask questions in the neighborhood."

"Quinn?" Dave questioned when Olivia returned her gaze to him.

"New investigator," she returned, her breath still coming in short bursts as she crossed her arms over her stomach. "She's good."

Nodding, Dave said heavily, jerking his head toward the door, "I need to go back in there. You don't."

"I understand. I'll call in and check on Elizabeth." She nodded, her agile mind already moving a few steps ahead. Security needed to be tightened around Lizbet. Hopefully, Huck had some options until Rossi could take over.

Dave winced as he glanced back at the closed door. "Don't tell her about…"

"No," she denied, her black hair bouncing as she shook her head vehemently. "I won't. Go ahead and do what you need to do. Stephen and I will meet you downstairs."

Opening the bedroom door again when Liv disappeared down the staircase, Dave went back into the bedroom, looking at his surroundings with professional eyes. Every bit of personal property had been destroyed. Lizbet's clothes had been torn and ripped and were strewn about the room. Her drawers had been upended and the contents mutilated. Her bedding was completely shredded. Any personal artifacts were broken or shattered. But, the largest casualty by far was the innocent animal lying still on the bed, the ultimate gruesome calling card.

If this was a harbinger of things to come, Elizabeth was in serious danger.

The unsub had been frenzied by the time he'd reached this room. Whether because of the delay he'd had in getting her or because of the personal nature of Elizabeth's inner sanctum, he wasn't sure.

He'd get a forensic team to analyze the house, but he doubted they found anything aside from the heel print that had been intentionally left. Whoever this was, he was smart. Smart enough to get back into a sealed house undetected. Huck didn't do sloppy work. …his life had hinged on his successes too often to allow the other man to be lazy about something so serious.

"Give me one clue," Dave muttered, looking around the bedroom with eagle eyes. Narrowing his gaze on a pile of scattered scrapbooks, he grimaced as he noted the shredded pictures. Shaking his head in disgust, he turned on his heel and stomped toward the door.

Nothing in that room beyond the dead cat cast any disparaging light on the identity of this whack job. And the small corpse on the bed simply said that the psycho was truly unglued, willing to kill anything that would draw Elizabeth's attention from him. He hadn't decimated the animal as an act of revenge. No, he simply saw it as competition to Elizabeth's affections.

The hell of it was that the bastard now had a much bigger problem than her furry companion.

He had no intention of meeting Mr. Whisker's fate…or allowing his ex-wife to endure it either.

Descending the stairs, he met Olivia's worried gaze as he reentered the living room. "Elizabeth?" he asked harshly, nodding at the phone.

"She's fine," Liv returned, watching as Dave stalked from one end of the room to the other. "Huck said she's been resting."

Nodding, Dave stared out the bay window. "She's gonna fight you about me, Liv."

"She's already tried," the woman returned simply as she shrugged. "But if the choice is between you and the psycho terrorizing her, I'll go with the evil I know. The only question that remains is, are you in or not?"

"What do you think?" he growled.

"I _think_ that you owe her, Rossi. I _think_ that five years ago you destroyed her world in an explosion of that alpha male pride of yours," she sneered. "But forget what I _think_ for a moment. Here's what I _know_. This person wants to hurt Elizabeth. He's made the lengths he's willing to go to quite clear. I know that you're supposedly still the best at what you do. I know you realize how badly these situations can escalate. I _know _you still love our girl."

"Liv," Dave hissed, his jaw tautening as he whipped around to face the determined crisis manager.

"Shut up," she ordered, taking a step closer. "Here's something else I _know_, David. You're going to have to tell her the _truth_ in order to get close enough to help her."

"No," he said simply. "The past needs to stay in the past where it belongs. I'm no longer a part of her life."

"You haven't learned anything, have you? The past _never_ stays buried, David," Olivia retorted, disgusted by the man in front of her. "Is your pride _still_ that important to you?"

"All that matters at the moment is Lizbet's safety. I'll do whatever I have to do to ensure that," Dave ground out. "The rest of it is none of your business, Liv. Don't push me."

Arching a dark eyebrow, Olivia's chin lifted. "Then don't push her. You did it once…pushed and pushed until she didn't know who the hell she was without you. And then you walked away without a backward glance…or, at least, that's what you wanted her to think. You do that to her this time, and I'll shove back so hard your sainted mother will feel it," she promised darkly, fully prepared to follow through on her directive. "You're _going_ to do this for me, David. You're _going _to do this for her. You're going to help her with_out_ damaging her any more than you already have because if you don't, I swear to whatever God you're worshiping these days, that I will blow up that carefully crafted little world you were so determined to have."

Grinning at her crookedly, he met her steely gaze with amusement. "You've gotten better at the menacing speech, Liv. Been practicing?"

Merely staring back at him, Liv waited.

"You really think I _want_ to see her hurt? I've kept my distance over the years, purposefully stayed out of her way. You _know_ that."

"And yet, you still have the power to cripple her. What does _that_ tell _you_, David?" Olivia retorted. "Oh, I've made her stronger. I've built her up…helped her achieve success. But, a few well placed words from you and…"

"I wouldn't do that," Dave barked, each word clipped with a tightly-held fury.

"You already DID it once," Liv shot back before he could even finish his sentence. "Forgive me if I'm reluctant to see you as the hero here!"

"Why the hell did you call me then? You knew if I got a look at the situation that there was no way I was gonna walk away and pretend I hadn't seen it," he asked angrily.

"Simple. When you're going after a rabid animal, you don't pack a can of mace. You pack a really big gun. And, you're the biggest weapon in the arsenal."


	5. Chapter 5

_Author's Note: Okay, first, thank you to everyone reading, reviewing, favoriting and alerting our stories. We truly appreciate your comments._

_First, we want to offer you a quick rundown of activities and threads that are ongoing at the forum:_

_We've also introduced a "Help Wanted" thread to the forum for authors that are looking for assistance with various writing complications that come up. Perhaps you want someone to bounce ideas with, or maybe you need a beta….this is the place to post an ad for what you are looking for. We've also reopened the "Chat Chat Among the Authors" thread to discuss spoilers or ask questions. The "Getting to Know YOU…Tell us about yourself" thread is open. Swing by there to introduce yourself whether you are a reader or an author. We'd love to meet you._

_And lastly don't forget our "Pay It forward Review Incentive Program". From now until the end of MAY, anyone that reviews a ROMANCE related story is eligible to win an gift card. Details found on thread at forum._

_This week's author of the week is the talented Bren Gail. Please swing by that thread to ask questions about their writing and/or stories. In addition, there are several other threads open for comment. We hope to see each of you there._

* * *

**The Second Time Around**

**Chapter Five**

Walking into her home a scant half hour later, followed by the ever present Stephen, Olivia Pope had to snicker as she walked into her living room and saw Huck cowering just inside the doorway. "Problems?" she asked, offering the younger man an easy smile.

"Before you yell at me, you should know that I tried to get it away from her. She stabbed me with her fork and threatened to make me a eunuch," the ex-CIA operative stated grimly, his eyes beady as he glanced warily back at the entryway. "She seemed pretty serious about it, too."

Choking back a laugh as she heard Stephen choke on his own chuckle behind her, Olivia nodded as she gently touched the man's arm. "You're relieved, Huck. Thanks for staying with her. I've got it from here."

"I'll just do a perimeter check." Huck nodded eagerly before disappearing through the front door.

Sighing, she moved forward, standing with her hands on her silk-covered hips as she stared at the woman curled up on the corner of her leather sofa, Olivia forced herself to smile as she cajoled softly, "Lizbet, honey, don't you think it would be best if we put the cheesecake back in the freezer before it starts to melt?"

"It doesn't melt, Livvy," the redhead said around the spoon currently stuffed in her mouth. Pulling it out with a pop, she declared as she swallowed the heavenly concoction. "It thaws. That's what it's 'posed to do, you know. Extra points if it does so in my mouth!"

"What I do know is that the last time I let you eat an entire cheesecake, you almost went into a diabetic coma and made me swear on a stack of your favorite Danielle Steel novels that I would throw myself in front of the cake if you ever thought of doing it again." Making a sweeping reach for the cake and capturing the tray with a flourish, she added triumphantly, "This is me doing what you wanted me to do. You'll thank me for it later."

Her eyes widening as she watched Livvy pass her treat to Stephen, who promptly stepped toward the kitchen, Lizbet glared up at her so-called friend. "Honestly, Livvy, I think I've earned that. I've kinda had a bad night."

"And I'm not discounting that fact, sweetie," Livvy consoled as she sat down on the heavy wooden table in front of the sofa. "But I have a feeling that you're going to want to have something more substantial for breakfast than sweets." Pausing, she smiled kindly as she tapped her friend's arm. "And you might want to grab a quick shower. You know where all of my clothes are, and we're the same size so pick out anything you want to wear today."

Grabbing the tub of Rocky Road from the table before Liv could commandeer that, too, Elizabeth frowned at her before digging her spoon into the chocolate ice cream. "Don't wanna," she mumbled around the spoon. "I'm comfy," she declared, crossing her legs, Indian style, on the couch in front of her.

Schooling her face into a non-judgmental expression, Liv eyed her best friend's pajamas critically. "Do you really want to greet your ex-husband wearing your frayed Hello Kitty pj's and your floppy duck house shoes, Lizbet?" she asked calmly.

Eyes widening as her lips tightened around the spoon in her mouth, Elizabeth stared in sheer horror at Olivia.

"Pull the spoon out before you bite it in half, Elizabeth," Liv suggested when she watched the other woman's jaw clamp down. "This would be an inconvenient time for dental work."

Pulling the spoon out, it hung loosely from her fingers. "You've seen him?" Elizabeth asked faintly, swallowing hard as her stomach churned.

"This morning," Olivia returned softly, her eyes compassionate as they met the turbulent orbs of her best friend. "I told you that I was going to see him last night."

"That didn't mean he'd help," Lizbet muttered, dropping the spoon back into the sludge-like ice cream, unable to quite believe that the man she'd been married to five years ago would come to her aid now.

"You know him better than that," Liv admonished gently. "You _knew_ he'd come."

"I also know that he'll try and take over," Elizabeth huffed, dropping the tub of ice cream back to the table in front of her with a plop, melted cream flowing onto the wooden top. "But, it's not going to be like last time! I refuse. He doesn't own me. Did you make that clear to him? That Lord of the Manor routine isn't gonna work anymore!" she almost yelled as she shook her head furiously.

"Lizbet," Olivia said calmly, covering her friend's hands and wincing as she realized how cold they were. "Breathe."

Inhaling deeply as she stared into space, Elizabeth forced herself to relax. Working herself into a tizzy would only put that self-satisfied smirk in place on her ex-husband's face. "Okay," she whispered. "He's coming," she murmured, resigned to her fate.

"Believe me, sweetie, I already read him the riot act," Liv assured her as she nodded. "But the bottom line is that we need the skills he brings to the table. David has the ability to keep you safe _and_ catch the person doing this to you."

"Yeah, unless it's him I'm trying to hide from," Lizbet grumbled, reaching to twist the ring she wore around her neck around her fingers. "You're sure he's our only choice, Liv? I mean, we could just hire a bodyguard….," she offered, grasping at straws.

"Indefinitely? Bodyguards just guard your body, Lizbet. They don't hunt down psycho creeps. David can do both. Effectively. Efficiently."

"Have I mentioned how much I hate it when you are rational Olivia?" Lizbet complained, no real heat in her voice. "I really like furious Olivia better. And bloodthirsty Olivia is a hoot to watch," she teased, remembering how the older woman had come to her defense not so very long ago. Olivia had been relentless during her divorce from David, getting her everything she'd wanted and then some, including a generous alimony check. At last count, there were fifty-four of them, uncashed, lined up in a box in the bottom of her bedroom closet. It would serve Rossi right if the asshole terrorizing her had cashed every single one of them. She certainly didn't want them. She'd sent repetitive letters to her attorney, ordering him to direct David to stop payment. But, like clockwork, they still arrived every month and were added to the growing collection.

"Oh, I've already been there today," Liv murmured, rising to collect the ice cream from the table. "Seriously, he's going to be here in an hour. Why don't you go get cleaned up? Put on something pretty?"

"You want me to impress the man that left me high and dry?" Lizbet retorted, crossing her arms over her chest, old resentments rising to the surface of her memory.

Smiling, Olivia winked at her. "I want you to make him eat his blackened heart out."

Giggling, Elizabeth offered her friend a sidelong glance. "Okay, you get points for style. Did you happen to bring me any of my clothes? You know…ones that actually fit?"

Liv's smile faltered and she turned away from Lizbet. "I…there was more damage in your bedroom that I originally thought. We'll have to do some shopping later. For now, I'm sure I have something you can wear?"

"Shopping?" Lizbet wrinkled her nose, blissfully unaware of the undercurrent in Olivia's tone. "Ughhh," she shuddered.

"Well, the bonus is that David hates it more than you do," Olivia forced herself to say lightly. "Think of the torture we can inflict on him inside a mall."

"I guess," Lizbet said grudgingly, standing up in front of the couch and dusting off the crumbs of her impromptu meal. "I just hope we both know what we're doing, Livvy," she sighed, trudging toward Liv's bedroom.

"Me, too, my friend," Liv whispered as she watched her best friend in the world move away. "Me, too."


	6. Chapter 6

_Author's Note: Okay, first, thank you to everyone reading, reviewing, favoriting and alerting our stories. We truly appreciate your comments._

_First, we want to offer you a quick rundown of activities and threads that are ongoing at the forum:_

_We've also introduced a "Help Wanted" thread to the forum for authors that are looking for assistance with various writing complications that come up. Perhaps you want someone to bounce ideas with, or maybe you need a beta….this is the place to post an ad for what you are looking for. We've also reopened the "Chat Chat Among the Authors" thread to discuss spoilers or ask questions. The "Getting to Know YOU…Tell us about yourself" thread is open. Swing by there to introduce yourself whether you are a reader or an author. We'd love to meet you._

_And lastly don't forget our "Pay It forward Review Incentive Program". From now until the end of MAY, anyone that reviews a ROMANCE related story is eligible to win an gift card. Details found on thread at forum._

_This week's author of the week is the talented Bren Gail. Please swing by that thread to ask questions about their writing and/or stories. In addition, there are several other threads open for comment. We hope to see each of you there._

* * *

**The Second Time Around**

**Chapter Six**

Thirty minutes later, Elizabeth stared at herself in the full-length mirror in Livvy's bedroom. Tugging at the edge of the lime silk cardigan, she tried to tell herself that she hadn't chosen that particular color because she knew that Dave had always liked her in green. Rather, it was the best complement for her hair and it was easy to match to the borrowed yellow shift dress beneath it.

A girl couldn't be picky when she was dependent upon the kindness of her best friend. Even if said friend basically had Sak's Fifth Avenue to choose from in her walk-in closet.

Frowning as she pressed her hand against her belly button, she willed her stomach not to rumble again. All through her shower, which was probably the fastest recorded one ever in the history of mankind, and the marathon makeup session afterward, she had tried to control her roiling emotions. But she had a distinct feeling that she had failed mightily at the attempt. An extra dose of insulin had insured she wouldn't keel over during this upcoming meeting. Parading that particular weakness out would not curry any favor with either of the people she knew were waiting on her.

Damn it, he was coming. The man that had broken her heart and left her high and dry was coming….and he was apparently her only chance at any form of salvation. At least, that's what Liv had spent an entire night trying to convince her.

Pressing her lips together as she turned on her heel, Lizbet Hudson walked determinedly toward the door and eased down the hallway of her friend's home. The sound of muted voices wafted toward her, and a second later, she identified a muffled curse that didn't affect her ability to identify the voice.

She'd know that tone anywhere. It had filled her most magnificent daydreams and been a contributing factor to her worst nightmares. While she might not have heard it recently except for the few times she caught it on television, she'd recognize it on her deathbed.

That, ladies and gentlemen, was her ex-husband's strident tenor.

And when she stepped into the open and airy living room, she found herself face to face with the man.

"Lizbet!" Olivia said, catching her friend's eye over Dave's shoulder.

Turning on his heel, Dave's breath caught as he saw the woman he hadn't laid eyes on in almost five years. Oh, he'd caught fleeting glimpses over the years, but Elizabeth had always managed to extricate herself from whatever social setting he'd caught her at before he'd managed to catch a good look at her. Seeing her now, like always, stole his breath for a moment.

Stunning in a simple sheath and sweater set, the vivid color made her hair shine. Her face, like her body, always petite, was thinner and he mentally flinched as he realized that, more than likely, he was responsible for that change. Other than that, though, her beautiful face remained unchanged. Her nose was still smattered with those adorable freckles she detested, but he'd adored. He'd spent whole evenings while they were married kissing every one of those so-called blemishes.

"He's staring, Livvy," Lizbet stated accusingly, taking an unconscious step backward as an unwelcome weight seemed to settle against her shoulders. "Make him stop," she demanded, hardening her gaze on her ex-husband.

"David," Liv growled in reproach, catching his arm when he would have stepped toward the other woman.

"Perhaps if you hadn't spent five years hiding from me, laying eyes on you wouldn't be such a shock to the system," Dave forced himself to say gruffly. And even as the words slipped from his lips, he caught the shock flash through her eyes and he realized that he had wounded her. In less than ten seconds after seeing her for the first time in years, he had managed to strike first and think second.

"I haven't been hiding," Lizbet retorted, blinking once before straightening her shoulders and clenching her jaw. "Hiding implies that I feared you. I've simply avoided having to be in your presence. It was a choice that I made because I don't _like _you."

"So glad to know where I stand," Dave muttered sarcastically, biting back his earlier thoughts. "It's exactly in the place I've remained for the last five years. You might have given me a chance to change that at some point, Elizabeth," he added softly.

"I'm quite happy with the status quo," Lizbet returned stiffly, swallowing nervously as she gazed at his face, so familiar that it made her teeth ache. A few more lines around his eyes, a little more grey woven through his black hair, but he was the same man, and she couldn't allow herself to forget it. Anything else would be madness. "Unfortunately, our mutual friend believes you can be useful," she said with a nod at Liv.

"And we're off to the races," Stephen chuckled from the corner with a pointed look at Liv.

Flashing Stephen an exasperated look, Liv ground out, "Just stand there and look pretty and don't try to help." Taking a deep breath, she took a step around David and stood between the man and his former wife. "Let's try to act civilized," she said with a look at Dave.

He gestured at Elizabeth. "I'm _being_ civil. Talk to your gal pal over there."

Smiling sweetly, Elizabeth tilted her head. "Oh, that's right," she mock whispered to Olivia. "He's not aware that I actually grew a _spine_ in the past few years."

"Perhaps it's this newfound spine that got you in this trouble," Dave grumbled, crossing his arms over his chest as he glared at her.

Seeing Lizbet's nostrils flare, Olivia whirled to face David. "Elizabeth has done nothing to deserve this!"

"Oh, let him grumble and growl. His flair for the dramatic hasn't been curtailed in our years apart," Lizbet countered as she shrugged, forcing herself to match his stare as she dropped down against the sofa. "I told you he wouldn't be helpful," she said with a glare at Dave.

Rolling his eyes as he watched his ex-wife walk to the couch and sit down, he forced himself to count to ten. "Look," he managed finally, "in order to actually help you, I need to know where you stand. _Have_ you pissed off somebody lately?"

"No," Lizbet answered curtly. "I haven't. As I recall, angering people was a talent you excelled at, not me."

She was trying to goad him. He knew that. He'd even expected it. He just hadn't been prepared for those residual feelings he had for her to catch fire again so quickly. "Are you sure? Perhaps an ex-boyfriend?" he fished, arching a dark brow. "I'm going to need a list of your current and former relationships. If this is a relationship gone wrong, those usually resolve pretty quickly. Who are you dating these days?"

A blush spreading across her cheeks, Lizbet sputtered, "None of your business."

"What? It's a simple inquiry. I just wanna know how many simpering, salivating studs that I'm gonna have to wade through," he mocked.

Feeling her burning rage at this man ignite, Lizbet bolted off the couch. "You are a grade A asshole. That much hasn't changed," she snarled, her small hands fisting at her side as the heavy wedding ring hanging from her chain, nestled between her breasts, seemed to scorch her skin. "I wasn't the one that was the fornicator! Unlike you, I know how to keep my vows before God!" she spat. "This is _not _going to work, Olivia," she informed the other woman. "I'm sorry," she choked before whirling and disappearing into the kitchen.

* * *

_**Guys, I'd appreciate any feedback you could offer. For those that have time, please pop off a review. For those that don't, thank you all for reading!**_


	7. Chapter 7

**_Author's Note: Okay, first, thank you to everyone reading, reviewing, favoriting and alerting our stories. We truly appreciate your comments._**

**_First, we want to offer you a quick rundown of activities and threads that are ongoing at the forum:_**

**_We've also introduced a "Help Wanted" thread to the forum for authors that are looking for assistance with various writing complications that come up. Perhaps you want someone to bounce ideas with, or maybe you need a beta….this is the place to post an ad for what you are looking for. We've also reopened the "Chat Chat Among the Authors" thread to discuss spoilers or ask questions. The "Getting to Know YOU…Tell us about yourself" thread is open. Swing by there to introduce yourself whether you are a reader or an author. We'd love to meet you._**

**_And lastly don't forget our "Pay It forward Review Incentive Program". From now until the end of MAY, anyone that reviews a ROMANCE related story is eligible to win an gift card. Details found on thread at forum._**

**_This week's author of the week is the talented Bren Gail. Please swing by that thread to ask questions about their writing and/or stories. In addition, there are several other threads open for comment. We hope to see each of you there._**

* * *

**The Second Time Around**

**Chapter Seven**

Frowning tightly as she watched her best friend move from the room, Olivia Pope jerked her head around to focus her glare on the man that was obviously intent on ruining her well-laid plans. Gliding across her living room, she pasted a perfect smile on her face as she stopped directly in front of him.

"Do you feel better now that you've made her feel worse, David?"she asked, her eyes narrowing ever so slightly as she arched one dark eyebrow. Oh, how she'd love to invoke some justice on Lizbet's behalf by plucking out his eyeballs with her bare hands. But she needed those eyes and every other appendage of his body to help get her friend out of this mess, she reminded herself. She couldn't kill him. At least, not until he'd served his purpose.

Shrugging, Dave crossed his arms over his chest. "Don't even think about pulling any of that gladiator crap on me, Livvy. You asked me for help. This is how I do it. Don't like my methods, then take care of it yourself," he challenged defiantly, even as his stomach sank to his feet when he heard Lizbet slamming something in the kitchen.

"What I'm going to take care of, David Rossi, is your obviously foul attitude and lack of common sense." Holding up one hand to stall whatever comment was about to come out of his opening mouth, she barreled forward, taking a step into his personal space and crowding him against the wall. "You are an idiot, but you're not _so_ much of an idiot that you don't realize that you're an idiot. Oh, no, that guilty flush creeping up your collar and the fact that even now I can hear your heart racing, all that tells me that you know you just crossed an invisible line. I really don't understand you. For such a smart, smart man, you, my idiot friend, get the rare, second-chance opportunity to repair all of the colossal damage that you have inflicted on that wonderful woman in there," she hissed, sweeping a hand toward the kitchen. "You get to be a knight in shining armor on a white horse instead of the fool that rides in here on a jackass. But, as usual, you're determined to blow your shot all to hell with that stupid, _juvenile _arrogance you wear like some kind of mantle around your shoulders. Tell me," she invited with a snort, "Has it kept you warm at night, David?"

"Damn it, Liv," Dave muttered on a growl, running a hand anxiously through his hair as he dropped his eyes away from her penetrating gaze.

"I didn't think so," she replied with a sage nod. Tapping a well-manicured finger against his lapel, she added in a knowing tone that brooked no argument, "You are going to fix this, David. And you will do it with a smile on your face and a song in your heart because you and I both know that somewhere in that deep, dark soul of yours exists the good hearted man that I know you can be."

Clenching his jaw again, Dave sighed as he glanced down the hallway. How in the world did he allow his lesser demons to draw him into these moments, he wondered darkly. "I didn't mean to set her off."

"Yes, you did," Olivia snorted, nodding once. "You know exactly which buttons to push, David. You always did."

"Is it such a leap to think there might be a man in the picture, Liv? It's been almost five damn years. The suggestion isn't exactly outlandish," Dave griped, not comfortable with the thought of any man in Lizbet's breathing space. It wasn't fair, and he had no claims of propriety anymore, but damn if the thought of her in another man's arms didn't have the ability to send his temper surging into the stratosphere.

"Just because you dipped your wick in half the candle boxes in the Western world in the year after your divorce does _not_ mean Lizbet did the same thing," Olivia retorted angrily, barely resisting the urge to smack the idiot on his forehead. "Sit down while I help you find a clue," she said, making a frustrated gesture toward the couch. "Obviously you're going to need more than a map to reach the obvious destination here."

Turning, Dave strode toward the leather sofa, throwing himself down while he waited for her to continue. He was an astute man. What the fuck could he possibly be missing here?

Perching on the coffee table in front of him, Olivia took a deep breath. Keeping her voice low, she leaned forward. "I'm going to have this conversation once, and only once, David, so I suggest you listen closely. You do remember the woman you married, right? Petite, happy _devout_ Catholic girl," she said tightly, describing Elizabeth.

"Of course, I do," Dave grunted, shrugging as he wondered where in the world she was going with the conversation. "A man doesn't forget a woman like her, no matter how ugly things were when it ended."

Smiling, Livy inclined her head. "Then you might remember that said woman takes the promises she makes seriously. She's not likely to say, forget a covenant she made before _her God_, is she?"

Blinking, Dave stiffened under the scrutiny of Liv's searing gaze. "What are you saying, Livvy?" he asked. Damn, was it getting hard to breathe in here? It felt like all the air was slowly being sucked from his lungs as he realized exactly what was being said.

"I'm saying that Lizbet stood before a priest and took vows before God to love, honor and cherish your sorry ass into the Hereafter, David. _And she hasn't broken them_."

"We're divorced," Dave whispered automatically, his heart thudding in his chest as he grasped what Liv was trying desperately to impart to him.

"True," Olivia agreed with a sharp nod. "But you never had the marriage annulled, David. For Elizabeth, it was just a piece of paper dissolving your union in the eyes of the law. The vows she took with you before God have been honored each and every day since you walked away from her much to my bitter regret and efforts to the contrary."

"She's been alone," Dave muttered, sinking deeper into the sofa.

"I'm allowed to bully her into exactly one date per year," Olivia grumbled, waving a hand in the air. "She's been on four dates since you left. Four! And believe me, I pull out all the stops on the anniversary of your divorce every year. It's a complete waste of time," she said with a shake of her head. "She never allows any man very close to her, thanks to you. But, she goes. And it fails, every single time."

"I didn't know," Dave replied on a pained whisper.

"Of course you didn't." Liv shrugged. "Why would you have? Lizbet avoids you like the Black Plague."

"Why?" Dave groaned, holding up a hand when Olivia would have answered him bluntly. "Never mind. I already know the answer to that one."

"Look, Dave. She's content. She's had her friends….her family. It was rocky in the beginning, but in the last few years, she's achieved a level of success that she never dreamed of before you left. And, she's done it on her own. One of her books just got optioned for a movie. But, there isn't any denying that she's lonely. But more worrisome than that, she's in danger. I know _you_ can fix at least _one_ of those issues. Maybe both if you decide to actually start using your brain for something other than a space holder, but you won't do it unless you manage to fix this."

"Damn it, Liv! You should have told me! I wasn't trying to rub salt in a wound with what I said. I'm not a fucking monster."

"Debatable," Liv replied tersely, drawing out each syllable as if it was a complete sentence in and of itself. "And entirely beside the point at the moment. Now, do you want to try to talk to her, or should I?"

"I will," Dave sighed, rising and gazing toward the kitchen. "I think it's time to have a long overdue discussion with my ex-wife."

* * *

_**Guys, I'd appreciate any feedback you could offer. For those that have time, please pop off a review. For those that don't, thank you all for reading!**_


	8. Chapter 8

**_Author's Note: Okay, first, thank you to everyone reading, reviewing, favoriting and alerting our stories. We truly appreciate your comments._**

**_First, we want to offer you a quick rundown of activities and threads that are ongoing at the forum:_**

**_We've also introduced a "Help Wanted" thread to the forum for authors that are looking for assistance with various writing complications that come up. Perhaps you want someone to bounce ideas with, or maybe you need a beta….this is the place to post an ad for what you are looking for. We've also reopened the "Chat Chat Among the Authors" thread to discuss spoilers or ask questions. The "Getting to Know YOU…Tell us about yourself" thread is open. Swing by there to introduce yourself whether you are a reader or an author. We'd love to meet you._**

**_And lastly don't forget our "Pay It forward Review Incentive Program". From now until the end of MAY, anyone that reviews a ROMANCE related story is eligible to win an gift card. Details found on thread at forum._**

**_This week's author of the week is the talented pandorabox82. Please swing by that thread to ask questions about their writing and/or stories. In addition, there are several other threads open for comment. We hope to see each of you there._**

* * *

**The Second Time Around**

**Chapter Eight**

Pressing her fingers against her lips, Lizbet forced herself to draw in a deep breath as she tried to control the shaking inside her body. Don't let him do this to you, her inner voice chided her, eerily reminiscent of her first-grade teacher Sister Cantonlina's. That woman always did seem to have eyes in the back of her head and could tell in less than a heartbeat if any little six-year-old was hiding anything.

But I'm not a child any longer, Lizbet reminded herself as she straightened her shoulders and pressed her lips tightly together. I am a grown adult who is responsible for taking care of herself. And I refuse to allow that…that…man to ruin what I have already built in my new life! Purposefully ignoring a silent Stephen standing in the corner, she forced herself to move forward.

Jerking open the refrigerator door, she reached for a bottle of water as she tried to find something to keep herself occupied. Gripping the cold plastic, she turned, only to drop it in surprise as she found the man she had once been married to standing right beside her.

Wincing at the muffled shriek that came from his ex-wife's lips, Dave shook his head as he easily leaned down and grabbed the escaping drink. "I didn't mean to scare you, Lizbet. I thought you heard me come in the room."

Taking the bottle from him, careful not to touch his fingers as she grabbed it with the tips of hers, Lizbet arched one perfect brow as she tilted her head. "I heard everything I needed to hear earlier, David. You can just turn right around and leave through the door you came in, which, by the way, you are apparently very good at doing. I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself, thank you very much."

Sighing heavily as he recognized the determined glint in her eyes, he looked at Stephen. "Take a walk," he ordered, jerking his head toward the door. He had things to say to his ex-wife and he didn't prefer to say them in front of an audience.

"Don't listen to him, Stephen," Lizbet denied quickly, the need to keep some kind of buffer between them almost a clawing need in her. "This isn't _his_ home."

"Either take the walk or I can escort you to the door," Dave replied, ignoring Elizabeth's furious intake of breath.

Shrugging, Stephen pushed away from the counter. "No skin off my nose, mate," he drawled as he smiled easily. "But remember, this is the room with the butcher knives," he added over his shoulder, his eyes dancing as he pushed open the swinging door and departed.

"Still a bully, I see," Lizbet accused Dave through her gritted teeth. "Some things never change."

"True," Dave agreed, leaning against the stove as he watched Lizbet tear off the cap of her water and lift it to her lips. "But then again, nothing stays the same either. You're evidence of that, aren't you?"

Lifting suspicious eyes to him, Lizbet lifted her chin. "You're right. I've changed. I'm still not the whore you accused me of being, but I can assure you, other things are different."

"Well, that didn't take long," Dave said slowly, swallowing hard as he realized just how much he'd hurt this woman. Taking a step forward, he said evenly, "We need to talk about what happened five years ago, Eizabeth."

Laughing bitterly, Lizbet shook her head. "No. There's no discussion to have. Want to know why, David?" she asked, tilting her head as she stared at the man that had been her entire world for eight years…the man that had held her hopes and dreams in the palm of his hand and crushed them like the brute he'd proved himself to be.

"Go ahead," Dave invited, knowing he deserved her anger…her resentment.

"Because there is no "we" anymore. I've worked very hard to ensure that very thing. Years of therapy taught me that there is a "_you"_ and there is an "_I"_. And those two words _never_ need to be used in the same sentence again as a '_we'_. _We_ were poison together. I think this proves that _we _still are."

"That isn't true," Dave objected steadily. It wasn't, damn it. There had been a time….a long time, where the "we" they had been was damn near as close to perfect as he'd ever gotten. He couldn't stand there and let her negate those happy years.

Carefully licking her lips, Elizabeth shook her head. She'd never been able to reason with him. Even when she had been right, he'd won the arguments they'd had. "I'm not fighting with you. It's pointless. Your ego will never allow a rational conversation between us, let alone a fair fight. Just go and leave me alone. Whatever problems I have belong to _me_ and I'll handle them."

"No," he said firmly, his eyes narrowing as he kept his gaze steady on her pale face.

Eyes widening as his harsh denial echoed in the kitchen, she narrowed her gaze. "Fine," she said tersely, "I'll go then," she replied, stepping toward the door.

Later, she'd wonder how he'd moved so fast. One second he'd been leaning insolently against the stove and the next, he'd captured her wrist and backed her against the refrigerator, their eyes colliding as she struggled to catch her breath. "Let me go," she demanded angrily.

Loosening his grip on the delicate wrist he held, he kept his grip on her. "Elizabeth, the one thing I've always known about you is that you are an intelligent woman. Don't act stupid now. You're in danger."

"Oh, I agree," she sneered as she tried to take a step away. "The devil is standing right in front of me in human form. If my choice is between you and the stalker, I'll take the stalker. I think my odds are better."

His breath became harsher as her words hit their intended mark. She'd rather face a psycho alone than rely on him for help. Who could blame her? Certainly not him, but that didn't mean he was willing to risk her safety to satisfy her urge for independence. "Elizabeth, we can cooperate and do this together, or I can become your shadow. But, one way or another, I'm back in your life for the foreseeable future."

"No!" Elizabeth shouted, her red curls bouncing wildly as she literally vibrated from anger. "No way, David," she growled, trying to jerk her arm from his grip. She had to get away from him, put some distance between her and the past she had with this man. Groaning as he simply leaned against her, pinning her from groin to chest, she shook her head. It wasn't supposed to feel right, that warm heat emanating from his body. She wasn't supposed to want to lean against him.

"Lizbet, calm down," he soothed, easily capturing the petite woman's arms between them and holding her steady with the weight of his body. He damned himself for enjoying the feel of her against him, her gentle curves still fitting perfectly against him. Facts were facts, however. And, the fact was, his body insisted he'd come home.

Stilling instantly at the command she heard in his voice, Elizabeth held herself motionless. "Get. Off. Me," she instructed him hoarsely, her breath coming in sharp gusts against his chest.

Taking an immediate step back, he kept his hands on her arms as he met her turbulent eyes filled with unshed tears. "Bethy," he whispered.

"All right, enough," a strident voice announced from the doorway. "David, take three steps backward. Lizbet, come and sit down in the living room. It's time for all of us to have a serious conversation. There's been a new development," Olivia said ominously.

* * *

_**Guys, I'd appreciate any feedback you could offer. For those that have time, please pop off a review. For those that don't, thank you all for reading!**_


	9. Chapter 9

**_Author's Note: Okay, first, thank you to everyone reading, reviewing, favoriting and alerting our stories. We truly appreciate your comments._**

**_First, we want to offer you a quick rundown of activities and threads that are ongoing at the forum:_**

**_We've also introduced a "Help Wanted" thread to the forum for authors that are looking for assistance with various writing complications that come up. Perhaps you want someone to bounce ideas with, or maybe you need a beta….this is the place to post an ad for what you are looking for. We've also reopened the "Chat Chat Among the Authors" thread to discuss spoilers or ask questions. The "Getting to Know YOU…Tell us about yourself" thread is open. Swing by there to introduce yourself whether you are a reader or an author. We'd love to meet you._**

**_And lastly don't forget our "Pay It forward Review Incentive Program". From now until the end of MAY, anyone that reviews a ROMANCE related story is eligible to win an gift card. Details found on thread at forum._**

**_This week's author of the week is the talented pandorabox82. Please swing by that thread to ask questions about their writing and/or stories. In addition, there are several other threads open for comment. We hope to see each of you there._**

**_Oh! And skip on over to the forum and sign up for our "Challenge Within A Challenge" fic writing exercise! We'd love to have each of you to participate!_**

* * *

**The Second Time Around**

**Chapter Nine**

Using the last ounce of energy she possessed, Lizbet pushed away from Dave and followed Olivia to the other room. Keeping her eyes firmly focused on the woman who was her best friend, she attempted to ignore the fact that Dave was barely a step behind her. It was almost as if she could feel the warmth radiating from his body even though they were inches apart.

"Make him leave, Livvy," she implored the other woman, teeth clenched. "I'll do whatever you want, but he can't be a part of this."

"The hell I will," Dave growled, rolling his eyes. "Stop being irrational and start listening to what we're trying to tell you, Elizabeth. Your safety has been compromised. Your home has been violated. And in case you've forgotten, I'm fairly damn good at my job. I profile these whack jobs for Christ sake!"

"Oh, yes," Lizbet hissed, her eyes flashing dangerously as she whirled on her heel. "We _all_ know how precious your job is to you. Believe me, I could _never_ forget. It blots out _everything_ else. Your marriage, your _child,_" she said, striking out with her words. "_Every_thing."

Her accusation was as painful and effective as any punch he'd ever endured, and he paused mid-rant. "Bethy…"

"Don't!" she yelled, the one word flying out with the power of a cannon. "Don't you dare try to walk in _here_ and rewrite history. I am _not_ going to be your newest job or your latest chapter in a damned book. I am a person, David. And this time, how I feel matters! This is _my_ life, damn you! I worked hard for it."

Shooting David a warning look, Olivia touched Lizbet's tense arm. "Hey, nobody here is every going to deny that. You _did_ work for it. You worked _hard_, Elizabeth. That's why we need him here. Come on," she urged the younger woman to the couch. "You need to see something." Motioning toward Stephen, who was comfortably seated on the edge of her leather sofa, Olivia demanded, "Let's see them, Stephen."

"See what?" Lizbet asked shakily, her earlier bravado suddenly fading. Watching Stephen's face, she swallowed hard. Usually lighthearted, his biggest concern who to date next, now he looked as serious and somber as she'd ever seen him. "What is it?"

Flicking his fingers across his iPad, Stephen nodded once as he held up the screen. "We just got these into the office. They were left in your mailbox, Elizabeth. Huck scanned them in and sent them over just now."

Leaning around Lizbet to stare at the picture showing up brightly on the small screen, Dave growled, "You're sleeping in that picture, Bethy. When the hell was that taken?" Leaning closer as he tried to determine how recent the photograph was, he felt the first tingle of real fear skitter up his spine.

A chill passed through her just then, and Elizabeth suddenly had a sickening wave overtake her as she shook her head back and forth. "I don't know, David! Stop yelling at me!"

"I think the bigger question we need to examine here is not when it was taken but rather _where_," Olivia interjected, wrapping her arm around Lizbet's thin shoulders and steering her toward the leather arm chair.

Grabbing the iPad out of Stephen's hand, Dave carefully analyzed the angle. And when the penny dropped, he drew in a sharp breath as he snapped, "Whoever took this was in the room with you, Bethy. This was a photograph taken from above, not from a window. Someone got in your house with you there. The son of a bitch was standing right over you."

"N-no," Lizbet denied, her voice trembling as shock began to curl around her like a thick, heavy blanket. "I l-lock my doors. A-always!"

"I've seen your security system, love. A determined nine year old could break into your house with the right incentive," Stephen snorted, shaking his head.

"Not helping, Stephen," Olivia hissed when Lizbet shuddered beside her, the last of the color draining from her face.

Finally focusing on his ex-wife's horrified face, Dave dropped the iPad into the vacant chair and perched on the coffee table across from her. "Liv, get a shot of scotch. Now," he ordered, taking both of Elizabeth's cold hands in his as her eyes stared into space.

Looking between the two of them, Liv knew when Lizbet didn't immediately shove away David's touch that her friend was slipping into shock. Bolting from the couch, she dove toward her wet bar, hastily sloshing a measure of whiskey into a glass before she hurried back to her friends.

Taking the glass from Olivia's hand, he held it to Elizabeth's pale pink lips. "Drink, Bethy."

Recoiling from the smell alone, Lizbet grimaced as she came back to her senses. "I hate scotch," she scowled, groaning when Dave tilted the glass to her parted lips.

"Don't care," he muttered, tipping the glass and pouring a small amount into her unsuspecting mouth. "Drink it anyway."

Choking as the liquor seared her throat, Lizbet coughed and sputtered, pushing Dave's hand away when he would have raised it to her lips again. "No," she shook her head, dodging the lip of the glass. "I'm fine!"

"Damn it, Bethy," Dave cursed, still worried about her pale complexion, "For once, do as you're told and…"

"Stop calling me that!" she shrieked, striking out and hitting the heavy glass from his hand. "I'm not your Bethy, anymore! You've lost the right to call me that, damn you!" she shouted, finally overwhelmed by the events of the day. "I don't _want _you here! Can you not understand English? You and I are done! Finished! It's what YOU wanted, David! I was _there_! How dare you sweep in here and start issuing orders now? I don't need you anymore. What part of that don't you understand?" she screamed.

Watching as her shoulders heaved and her hands clutched the edge of the sofa, he knew she'd been pushed too far. The combination of seeing him again and the dick currently stalking her every waking, and evidently sleeping, move was a lot for any woman to suffer, especially one as tenderhearted as the woman to which he'd once shared a life.

"I understand you, Elizabeth," he murmured softly. "But, I'm not leaving."

"_Damn_ you, David," Lizbet whispered, her eyes agonized as they met his. "Damn you for this," she whispered again before pushing away from the sofa and hurrying from the room.

* * *

_**Guys, I'd appreciate any feedback you could offer. For those that have time, please pop off a review. For those that don't, thank you all for reading!**_


	10. Chapter 10

**_Author's Note: Okay, first, thank you to everyone reading, reviewing, favoriting and alerting our stories. We truly appreciate your comments._**

**_First, we want to offer you a quick rundown of activities and threads that are ongoing at the forum:_**

**_We've also introduced a "Help Wanted" thread to the forum for authors that are looking for assistance with various writing complications that come up. Perhaps you want someone to bounce ideas with, or maybe you need a beta….this is the place to post an ad for what you are looking for. We've also reopened the "Chat Chat Among the Authors" thread to discuss spoilers or ask questions. The "Getting to Know YOU…Tell us about yourself" thread is open. Swing by there to introduce yourself whether you are a reader or an author. We'd love to meet you._**

**_And lastly don't forget our "Pay It forward Review Incentive Program". From now until the end of MAY, anyone that reviews a ROMANCE related story is eligible to win an gift card. Details found on thread at forum._**

**_This week's author of the week is the talented pandorabox82. Please swing by that thread to ask questions about their writing and/or stories. In addition, there are several other threads open for comment. We hope to see each of you there._**

**_Oh! And skip on over to the forum and sign up for our "Challenge Within A Challenge" fic writing exercise! We'd love to have each of you to participate!_**

* * *

**The Second Time Around**

**Chapter Ten**

Glancing around the room, Stephen arched one brow, eyeing Dave warily he said drily, "Well, I'd say that went as well as could be expected considering the company you keep, Liv."

"Hush," Olivia ordered, no censure in her even voice. Turning to face Dave, she smiled tightly as she stepped into his path just as he tried to round the edge of the couch and move toward the hallway. "Not so fast, David. She needs time to recover from everything she's learned. Trust me when I say, you want to give that woman in there a minute. You go in there now, and it is entirely possible she will find a way to make a nail file into a lethal weapon."

"We're wasting time," Dave barked, his heartbeat still tapping the foxtrot in his chest as he glanced at the photograph still visible on the iPad's screen. "This threat is real, Liv," he growled, gesturing at the computer. "This guy is taunting her. What she needs is to understand that I can help her," Dave countered, his eyes barely glancing toward Olivia before returning to stare at the doorway that had just provided Elizabeth's escape. "That's what you called me here to do, wasn't it, Livvy?"

"My version of assistance and yours appear to be radically different, David. Right now the only help you are providing is assisting Elizabeth toward a hysterical end," Olivia said with a bite in her tone. Tugging at Dave's tie, she dragged him across the small space and muscled him onto the couch. "Sit here and don't piss anyone else off for the next ten minutes. Hopefully that will give me enough time to see if I can bring Lizbet around to my way of thinking." Tugging at the edge of her jacket, she added over her shoulder, "Stephen, if he so much as appears to move a muscle, have Huck contact Penelope Garcia and provide her with David's precious brokered account numbers in Panama. She'll know what to do with that information."

Capturing Olivia's wrist, Dave shook his head. "Threaten my fortune all you want, but before you go in there," he jerked his head toward the bedroom he knew his ex-wife had disappeared into, "You are going to sit down and tell _me_ what your plan is. Then, I'll tell _you_ if it can work. Make no mistake here, Olivia, I'm not one of your trained dogs of war. I don't sit and stay on command. No offense," he said grudgingly when Stephen's low growl of dissatisfaction rumbled through the room. "But you do what she pays you to do and say what she pays you to say, Scot. I do _not." _He glared at Liv. "If I don't approve o f this plan, you know I have no problem throwing her over my shoulder and doing whatever _I_ deem necessary to keep her safe."

"Yes," Olivia said sweetly, "Because your caveman routine proved ever so effective while you were married, didn't it, David?"

"We had a lot of happy years together, Liv. Not even you can deny that," Dave retorted, his jaw clenching.

"Maybe you did," Olivia countered as she shrugged. "But you blew them and her trust in you all to hell in the end. The one thing that I can promise you is that I won't allow you to put Elizabeth in a worse position that she's already found herself in. You were the best available option for her that I had at my disposal. But, let's be clear, you aren't one that I like. And you are very definitely one she _hates._ And every time you open your smug mouth, you make a bad situation worse."

"Your plan, Liv," Dave demanded tightly, barely controlling his temper. "I know you. You think three steps ahead of everyone else. You already know how the hell you wanna play this, so just spit it out."

Exhaling an aggravated breath, Liv pursed her lips together as she glared at the insufferable pain in the ass she currently had to contend with. "Fine, you wanna know my plan. Here it is. A reconciliation."

"Pardon?" Dave sputtered, his eyebrows lifting in surprise.

Licking her lips, Olivia sat back down in the armchair to Dave's left. "A reconciliation between you and Elizabeth. It will effectively put this stalker on defense and forces him to step up his game and it adds you as an extra layer of protection to Lizbet."

Jaw dropping, Dave stared at the cool woman in front of him. "Are you serious?" he finally managed to ask.

"Are you game?" Olivia challenged him, lifting her chin. "Because if you aren't, I need to move to Plan B."

"I told you I was in," Dave growled. "I don't think Bethy will be, but I am."

"I will handle Elizabeth," Olivia dismissed him. "Your job is to remain silent until I do. Do you think, for once, you can keep your mouth closed and let me do my job? We're on a timetable here, David."

"How so?" Dave asked, narrowing his eyes suspiciously.

"Because," Olivia informed him serenely, "You two are going to affect this reunion tonight at the Bureau Ball. You and Elizabeth are going to attend. It's going to have plenty of press for me to bribe into taking some money shots of the happy couple staring lovingly back into each other's eyes and those photos will be in every major city paper."

"Just to be clear, you're using me as bait here," Dave smirked, approval shining in his eyes as he gazed at the woman before him.

"Bait is such an _ugly _word. Not to mention that it's an insult to the worm at the end of my hook. I prefer to think of you as….incentive. Seeing you with Elizabeth will pull his focus to you, a man much more capable of handling the problem than Lizbet, don't you think?"

"You know she's going to fight like hell," Dave sighed, his eyes drifting toward the hallway and the closed door between him and Elizabeth.

"Yep, and you certainly haven't helped me with your overblown theatrics. Thank you so much for that, David."

"I was taken off guard. Seeing her…in the flesh again, it affected me more than I was prepared for," he muttered, averting his gaze from hers.

Arching one perfectly shaped brow, Olivia murmured, "Hmmm, interesting."

"There's a problem with your little plan for tonight, however. That event has been sold out for months. I only RSVP'd for one, Liv."

Snorting, Olivia rolled her eyes. "Already handled it. A phone call to Director Strauss afforded me a plus one to your invitation. She's offered me her full cooperation in assisting Elizabeth with this issue."

"Jesus," Dave groaned as he grimaced. "You and Erin are still friends? I guess it takes a barracuda to recognize a piranha." He shook his head. "I shouldn't be surprised, I'm half convinced that you both carry a set of balls around in your purse," he grumbled.

Rising, Olivia straightened her jacket and smiled superiorly down at Rossi. "Erin may choose to keep her balls in her handbag, David, but I assure _you_ that I'm always packing."

Frowning as the doorbell rang, Dave stood automatically, placing himself between the door and the hallway in which Elizabeth had fled.

"Stand down," Olivia sighed, heading for the doorbell. "We're expecting another guest."

"Jesus, Liv," Dave hissed, stiffening. "I hardly think this is the time to entertain. Who the hell have you called now?"

"Another layer of protection," Liv replied casually, opening the door.

* * *

_**Guys, I'd appreciate any feedback you could offer. For those that have time, please pop off a review. For those that don't, thank you all for reading!**_


	11. Chapter 11

**IMPORTANT AUTHOR'S NOTE**: _Just a quick explanation to those of you not aware of what's been happening in the wonderful world of fanfic. Recently, www. fanfiction. net has been doing a mass purge of all the "M" rated stories on their site. In an effort to avoid my work being taken down for good, I, instead, chose to take them down myself until the purge is over and everything has settled down. In the meantime, I will continue to publish my "T" and below rated work on www. fanfiction. net, while my "Mature Adult" rated work (for the time being only) is going to be published at The Writers Coffee Shop ( www. thewriterscoffeeshop library/ viewuser. php?uid=59099… remove the spaces to make this into a real web address). Please contact me if you need further directions. Direct links to the currently updated story can be found on my facebook page at Ilovetvalot fanfiction_

_In order to access the stories on The Writers Coffee Shop, you will need to register for an account (they guard the M-rated stories from young eyes). It is completely free and takes about 1 minute to complete the registration process! Once you are at The Writers Coffee Shop, click Login in the upper right corner. Then choose Register in the middle of the page. Follow the directions to register, and remember that you don't have to complete any of the fields that don't have asterisks! We hope you'll take the short trip to our new home for our more mature work and visit us soon!_

_The good news is that as I repost stories there, they are getting an OVERHAUL. That's right, folks! New stuff is being added to old stories. Also, two of my ongoing epics (because of their mature content) are only being published there as well. "Touched by an Angel" and "You Found Me" are the epics that are only available there! They are now uploaded as well as rejuvenated stories, "Consuming Fires" (a Dave/Emily), "Afterglow (a Dave/JJ), "Tulips" (a Dave/Emily), "Delicious Depravity" (Rossi/Erin/Aaron), and another ongoing epic, "Learning to Love Again". Come by and check it out!_

* * *

**The Second Time Around**

**Chapter Eleven**

Narrowing his eyes as he eyed the man standing at the now open door, Dave crossed his arms over his chest as he growled, "Oh, hell, no, Olivia. I didn't enjoy working with him when I _had_ to do it."

The newcomer stepped inside the brightly lit apartment and grinned, his eyes crinkling as he shook his head. "And it's good to see you, too, old man. Still got the gift of gab, I see."

Of all of the underhanded, low tricks that he had ever seen, this one obviously took first prize. How in the hell did this woman expect him to just stand and accept what was apparently the world's worst idea? Jerking his head toward Olivia, David demanded sharply, "Surely you didn't think this was a good idea, Liv. Dammit, you've got more sense than this!"

"I'll thank you both to play nicely and to keep your voices to a dull roar," Olivia replied calmly as she closed the door and placed her hand on her visitor's arm. "And you, Jason Gideon, are a sight for sore eyes!"

"He's an eyesore is what he is," Dave retorted, shaking he head as he snorted, crossing his arms over his chest as he mentally prepared to do battle with the devil himself if necessary.

"I see you're also going blind in your old age," Jason Gideon said drily as he dropped his jacket over the back of the oak rocker before flopping down into the armchair next to Stephen. "Moved to bifocals yet?"

"Boys!" Livvy yelled loudly, clapping her hands together in a sharp staccato, well aware of her visitors' penchant for one-upmanship. "Eyes forward and focused on me!"

"How is the greatest FBI agent to ever slip through the Bureau's fingers?" Gideon asked, his bright eyes twinkling as the rose to the woman he'd once helped train. "Using those profiling skills in more lucrative fashion, from what I've heard through the grapevine."

"I'm not complaining. It was the Bureau's loss, after all," Olivia replied with a vague smile.

Jaw tightening as he watched the pleasant exchange, Dave looked from one face to the other. "What the _hell_ is he doing here, Olivia?" he demanded, his voice deceptively soft as he glared at Jason.

"Plan A," she said to Dave sweetly, flourishing her hand, "Meet alternate Plan B," she added, inclining her head toward Jason. "If I can't convince Elizabeth to allow you to become her shadow, I'm going to rely on Jason to fill in. It will be more difficult given the fact that he's remarried, but we'll work around that."

"Remarried?" Dave echoed, turning his gaze back to Jason, unable to believe the other man had taken the plunge again. Jason Gideon had avoided commitment like plague since the end of his first marriage. The idea that he'd headed back in holy matrimony was beyond shocking. The man was addicted to solitude.

"Two years ago." Jason nodded, flashing his gold ring at Dave. "I finally met a woman that didn't make me want to jump off the nearest cliff. And as a bonus, she doesn't seem to mind my baggage."

Inclining her head slightly, Olivia interjected sweetly, "Amelia is a lovely woman that works as a chef. She couldn't attend the ball this evening and agreed to lend me Jason for the foreseeable future if he was needed."

"Let me guess," Dave muttered, casting a dark glance in his hostess' direction, "She loves Elizabeth, too?"

"All of us that possess an ounce of common sense would choose Lizbet over you," Gideon grunted, unfazed by the look of unadulterated hatred being focused on him.

"The only man that will be lending any of his personal attention to _my_ ex-wife will be me, Olivia. Send your alternate plan packing," Dave demanded, his shoulders tensing as he waved a hand toward the door. "I've got this."

"Correction, David," Olivia objected smoothly, her eyes clear as they met his without faltering. "You _had_ this. You _threw _it away. Five years ago _and_ five minutes ago."

Smirking in the other man's direction, Gideon grunted, "Still hasn't learned how to keep his mouth shut, huh?"

"Any more than you've learned how to stay the hell out of my way?" Dave retorted heatedly, dropping his hands as his fists balled at his side.

"Hey!" Jason grinned, holding up his hand to forestall what was certain to be an explosion of epic proportions. "I was invited to the party, Rossi. You got a beef? Take it up with her," he directed, jerking his head toward a completely poised Olivia Pope.

"Yes," Liv invited sweetly, "_Please_ do." Watching as Dave turned and stalked toward the window, she relaxed slightly, hoping against hope that the profiler would at least hear her next words. "Listen, we all want to do what's best for Elizabeth, David. Jason was going to be in town and attend tonight as a keynote speaker. Since he was, I assumed you wouldn't mind another layer of protection for Lizbet. Everyone in this room realizes that this person stalking her is watching every single move she makes. It's a safe bet he knows where she is right now. And if I'm right, he'll be following her tonight. Don't you think another set of eyes would be the wisest course of action until you can get your team involved?"

Damn it, he despised it when her reasonable act actually had merit on which to stand. Shrugging, Dave kept his eyes trained on the window as he pursed his lips.

"She'd have made a hell of a profiler, wouldn't she?" Gideon chuckled. "Look at it this way," he taunted Dave, "Elizabeth will at least be _happy_ to see _me._ It might even make her a little more relaxed with you."

"Do me a favor, Gid," Dave snarled over his shoulder, his posture stiff, "Don't offer me any of your so-called help. I had about all I could stand of that crap five years ago."

Lifting his chin and meeting Dave's furious eyes, Gideon leaned forward slightly in his chair. "One thing you should know, Dave….there's not a thing I would do differently today. If you're waiting for me to apologize, I'll see you in hell first."

You could have heard the proverbial pin drop in the room as the two men locked eyes, each one convinced that they were right. After a long minute, Olivia moved between them. "You two have the length of time it takes me to convince Elizabeth to play her part in this little charade to either attempt to kill each other, in which case I will enlist the assistance of the survivor, or call a truce. Personally, I'd advise the truce because I truly believe that woman is going to need all the help she can get."

Both men remained silent until Olivia disappeared into the bedroom and Stephen made a muffled excuse and took cover in the kitchen.

"Go ahead," Gideon invited with a short nod, "Say whatever it is you think you need to say to me."


	12. Chapter 12

**The Second Time Around**

**Chapter Twelve**

David Rossi considered himself to be many things, mostly described with adjectives that would make his sainted mother wash his mouth out with soap. But what he did not consider himself to be was foolish, and he recognized a trap when he saw it being sprung. Snorting, he crossed his arms over his chest as he glared at the man that had been a thorn in his side for more years than he cared to count. "There's nothing left to say, jackass. I think I was perfectly clear five years ago what I thought about you."

"What you were then and obviously still are now is a son of a bitch," Jason replied, his tone almost pleasant as he leaned back against the leather cushions. Chuckling at the look of fury that crossed Rossi's face, he held up a hand as he added helpfully, "The truth's the truth, old man. You weren't able to see beyond the nose on your face then and obviously your skills of observation haven't improved."

"What's not improved is your ability to keep your nose out of other people's business," Rossi retorted as he stomped back toward the window, his nostrils flaring. "Obviously your wife doesn't know anything about your past or she wouldn't trust you within a mile of my wife."

"Don't you mean your ex-wife?"

Pressing his lips tightly together as he heard the censure in the other man's tone, Rossi waved a hand in the air before muttering stiffly, "I seem to remember that you had something to do with her being an ex, now didn't you?"

Eyes flashing, Gideon shook his head in disgust. "You aren't _still_ trying to sing that tune, are you? Christ, Dave, I never touched Lizbet."

"Maybe not, but you didn't do jackshit to make me think otherwise five years ago, did you?" Dave snapped angrily.

"No," Jason declared flatly. "Mainly because you're as stubborn as a mule when you get something in your head. The only thing I was guilty of back then was coming to a young woman's aid when her husband couldn't be bothered. She was miscarrying, Rossi. For Christ sake, what did you expect me to do when she called me looking for _you? _Leave her to bleed out on the floor of your house?"

"Fuck you," Dave snarled. "You know how it looked when I walked into that hospital room. Elizabeth sobbing in your arms, clutching _you_ for dear life," he hissed violently, his fists shaking with rage as the memories flooded his mind.

"Because she'd lost _your_ child, you son of a bitch," Gideon retorted, surging to his feet to stare Dave in the eye. "And what was the first fucking thing that came out of _your _mouth? An accusation, that's what! You accused her of having an affair with me. Poor woman couldn't see _anybody_ except for your sorry ass and at her lowest _fucking_ point, you ask her if the baby was even yours! And when the woman was too shocked to answer, you follow it up with the blow that you never wanted any of it! If you ask me, Liv should have let me fucking kill you then!"

Seeing the old rage flaming in Jason's gaze gave him pause and Dave inhaled deeply. "You know how it looked. She was always talking about you dropping by to check on her while I was gone…mentioning how you'd 'just been by'. She barely spoke to _me. _She treated me like a fucking stranger in our own home…."

"Because for the last year of your marriage you were _always_ gone, Dave. There was always some priority that ranked higher than she did! The Bureau…the goddamned book…You and your goddamn newfound success, it was all you gave a shit about then. Oh, you were riding high, you arrogant prick. Somebody had to check on her. She'd been diagnosed with diabetes…was getting used to the insulin injections. Christ, then the baby…and all the while, you just kept pushing her to be the social butterfly for you. You wanted a fucking hostess, not a wife, those last couple of years. Hell, I think you did Lizbet a favor when you divorced her. At least then she didn't feel like she needed to live up to your image of a goddamn wife. Well, right up until you replaced her three months after the damn papers were signed. Hell, Dave, the ink was still fucking wet…Lizbet's heart in goddamn pieces, grieving you and her baby, and there you were on the front page of every society page in town with that whore you married! You have _no_ fucking clue what you did to her!"

"Then, why the hell didn't you tell me, damn it?" Dave ground out, shame eating him like acid.

"When?" Jason smirked. "While you were fucking your way through a harem of groupies? Or when you were on your honeymoon with a golddigging tramp? When should I have told you that you were throwing away the best thing that ever happened to you? You were too busy getting high on your own ego, Rossi."

Swallowing hard as he faced the honesty in Jason's statement, he couldn't say a word in his defense. It was true. For two years, he'd run wild. Women, parties…the whole gamut. It had quickly bored him. But, for a short time, he'd been blinded by the spotlight. He'd buried his pain and focused on getting famous and all the trappings that came with it.

Finally forcing himself to look at Jason, he said softly, "I'm not the man I was then. I changed. I can't deny anything you've said, but….I'm not that person anymore."

"I know," Gideon said simply, quietly as he forced his shoulders to relax. "If you hadn't, Liv would have had your sorry ass eliminated by now," he said with a crooked grin. "She is the one woman I have complete faith could make your death look like a complete accident even if there was a butcher knife protruding from your chest."

"Our marriage," Dave said hoarsely, "Bethy's and mine…it had cracks before I wrote the first book, but I know that my single minded pursuit of success didn't help anything."

"Nor did your unfounded and completely idiotic accusations," Gideon grunted.

"They didn't seem so stupid at the time," Dave muttered, rubbing the back of his neck as he shook his head. "And for the record, I never meant that I didn't want the baby or Elizabeth when I said that I never wanted any of it. I meant that I never wanted things to turn out the way they had."

"Ever tell her that?" Jason asked bluntly, staring at Dave. Seeing the telltale flush come over Rossi's face, he shook his head sadly. "Didn't think so," he stated in a low voice. "You know she's never going to trust you, Dave. Not unless you come clean."

"Seems like my trying to explain now would only open up old wounds," Dave returned heavily.

"Here's a newsflash for you that you can do with what you will, Rossi. The wounds have never healed. Not for her," Gideon added as he nodded toward the bedroom. "Oh, she puts on a very good act. Most days, she could convince a person that she's entirely happy with her life. But, look closer and you'll see that it's all a carefully manufactured act, my old friend. Take the time and look beneath the surface, and you'll see it, too," he advised, picking up the leather bag he brought with them. "Tell Livvy and Lizbet that I'll see them tonight. I'm going to the hotel to get ready. Call if there are any updates," he ordered before quietly opening the front door and disappearing.

Smacking his fist against the nearby door frame, Dave winced as he realized that while he was mad, he was not impervious to pain. But damn it all to hell, he though darkly as he cradled his wounded hand with his other. How in the name of all that was holy could he fix what was obviously the stupidest move of his entire life? It was obvious from Jason's reaction that most everyone he knew believed he was beyond redemption. And yet, in his heart of hearts, he wanted to repair the damage.

He wanted what he had lost. He wanted her.

Staring out the window, his fingers throbbing in beat with his heart, Dave muttered to himself, "I didn't mean any of it. But she's never going to believe me." Dropping his chin to his chest, he whispered, "God help me, I really didn't mean it, Bethy."

* * *

_Hello, friends! If you've been looking for our M-rated stories, we've found a new home for them! After fanfiction. net began to purge M-rated stories that were questionable according to their Terms of Service, we voluntarily removed our stories and are in the process of loading them on The Writer's Coffee Shop (thewriterscoffeeshop DOT com...make that a real address)._

_To find us, visit TWCS and then choose Library. Then click Authors, choose the I category, then ilovetvalot. Our stories will be listed for you to read!_

_If the story is rated M or NC-17 on that site, registration is required (so they can control the age of the viewers). It only takes about a minute to set up an account! Click Library, then choose Register from the left-side menu. Fill in the information requested (and you only have to give the information that is required with astericks!). You will receive a confirmation email and then be able to view all sorts of amazing stories!_

_We are continuing to post on , and we enjoy this site very much. However, in order to be in compliance with 's rules, we will be posting our M-rated stories at TWCS, and we will also post certain chapters of our epic stories at TWCS if the chapter strays into the M-rating. We will be updating our profile page very soon to provide you with links and to keep everyone updated on exactly where our stories are located!_

_**TODAY, WE UPDATED OUR ROSSI/GARCIA EPIC, "TOUCHED BY AN ANGEL", AT THE WRITERS COFFEE SHOP. STOP BY AND CHECK OUT CHAPTER 15, ALONG WITH SOME OTHER FUN STORIES ALREADY UPLOADED THERE!**_

_We truly appreciate your continued support, and we look forward to providing you with many more stories in the future! Again, we apologize for any inconvenience this causes our readers!_


	13. Chapter 13

**FORUM NEWS: Several fun things going on NOW on the Chit Chat on Author's Corner forum on !**

**1. The July Challenge, "The Crossover Challenge" is now up and available or sign ups at Chit Chat on Author's Corner forum. Please join us. The rules are simple. Choose one tv character from another show, past or present and get randomly assigned one of the CM crew to pair your chosen character with. Signups are thru July 1****st****.**

**2. The thread "Where, oh where, have the M Stories Gone? – This is a handy guide for readers to find where their favorite authors are posting their mature content stories these days. Authors, feel free to pop by and reply to the thread.**

**3. The thread "The Dog Days of Summer" mini-challenge. Come by and write a story for this fun summer challenge.**

**4. Come by and ask ME a question on this week's featured author of the week. Ilovetvalot is the featured author this week and I would love to talk to you. No question is off the table!**

* * *

**The Second Time Around**

**Chapter Thirteen**

Knocking softly on the half-open paneled door, Olivia pushed gently and stepped into the bedroom. Sighing as she shook her head, she smiled at the woman who was tucked tightly into the oversized chair in the corner. Moving to perch on the ottoman in front of her, Olivia asked softly, "How you doing, sweetie?"

Shrugging, Lizbet kept her gaze focused on the window beside her, the rays of sunshine flowing over her pinched face. She took some comfort from the warmth, but still felt a frozen block of ice where her stomach as supposed to be. "I'd be better if I wasn't reliving the worst years of my life with the promise of a new nightmare hovering on the horizon."

"Believe it or not, David means well," Olivia countered, mentally hoping that her statement was actually true. As far as she was concerned at this point, convincing Lizbet was the most important purpose and she would willingly move heaven and earth to make that happen. And while she was not going to intentionally lie to her best friend, she wasn't above stretching the truth ever so slightly to ensure that the outcome was in Elizabeth's favor. "And none of us want you to have to worry about the past. Especially when the present is providing enough challenges of its own. You know that's why I brought him on board, Lizbet. He's the best."

"Well, the best is also a pain in my rear end," Lizbet muttered, leaning her head back against the top of the chair as her fingers picked idly at the edge of her dress. Raising her head, she blinked once as she muttered defiantly, "He still thinks I'm the woman I was all those years ago, Livy. I'm not. And I'm not just going to stand by and let him run all over me again. Not gonna happen."

"Elizabeth," Olivia replied softly, her eyes dark and compassionate as she leaned forward, "Nobody knows more than me how hard you've worked to get to where you are, but we both know that you aren't happy."

"No, you're right. I was happy once, though, and it all dissolved around me, didn't it? The little fairy tale I thought I'd built for myself crumbled around my ears. But you know what? I prefer my life now, Livvy. I'm content. Not too happy, but not too sad either. I've learned to live again. On my _own_. Without _him_," she whispered, her eyes glazing slightly as she leaned her head back against her chair. Her throat hurt just then when she swallowed the lump that was forming against her vocal chords. "It was _so_ hard. He was all I knew."

"I know," Olivia acknowledged softly, her head bobbing slightly.

"I was just a kid when I married him," Lizbet reminisced, her eyes closing as she allowed the memories to play behind her eyelids, a movie reel that would never end. "Fresh out college and out from my father's thumb. But then I found myself suddenly caught up in another hog-tied relationship. When Dave left, I didn't think I'd survive. I didn't know if I wanted to survive. You saved me though. Somehow, you broke through the darkness and pulled me back into some semblance of life. It was rocky. You, above everybody else, know how rough it was."

The ebony skinned woman nodded. "I remember,"

Forcing her eyelids open and meeting Livvy's knowing gaze, Lizbet blinked back tears. "Seeing him again was like being punched in the stomach," she whispered brokenly. "It was so different, but so much the same, too. My heart still flutters in my chest when he looks at me, Livvy. My stomach still clenches when his eyes glitter. You don't understand," she rambled frantically, her fingers clawing at the upholstery on the chair, hoping to find some stability in the tilting world around her. "It would be so easy to get lost in him again. Even after _everything_ I still feel that damn spark. What kind of sick, twisted joke is that?" she laughed bitterly, "That I can still _feel_ anything for him! What kind of freak does that make _me_?"

"You are _not _a freak," Livvy denied, grabbing Lizbet's hands in hers and rubbing the cold fingers rapidly. "You loved your husband. And cards on the table, just between you and me?" she hedged, waiting until Elizabeth had offered her an almost imperceptible nod of encouragement, "We both know that you've never stopped loving that man out there."

Dropping her head until her chin rested on her chest, Elizabeth muttered tonelessly,"I'm a masochist."

"No," Olivia refuted her quickly and strongly. "You were a very human woman that loved her husband deeply. It isn't your fault that he had some kind of masculine breakdown and spent two years acting like some adolescent teenager in the middle of his middle age years. That's on him, Lizbet. The only actions that you can control are your own."

"Not with him, Livvy." Elizabeth shook her head furiously. "With him, I have no control. I'm not sure I'm more worried that I'll bury a knife in his back or that I'll jump his bones. Or both! God, both sound really, really good to me right now," she grimaced, staring into space. "See, I'm already losing it!" she told the other woman frantically.

"You are not losing anything, Lizbet. You've been backed into a corner. I ought to know since I'm one of the people that helped back you into it." Olivia cringed as she realized how horrible that statement sounded.

"I know you're only trying to help me," Elizabeth said supportively, smiling weakly at the other woman. "Like you always have," she murmured.

"The problem is that my options for helping you on this particular issue are severely limited….to about two men, both of which you share a past with," Olivia explained hesitantly.

"Huh?" Lizbet grunted, warily watching Olivia's face. "Two men? David and….who else, Livvy?" Lizbet whispered warily. "Oh, God, who else did you call?"

Taking a deep breath, Olivia lifted her chin. "Jason Gideon."

Blinking dumbly for several seconds, Lizzie stared at the older woman. Finally, she swallowed and slowly held up a finger. "Let me get this straight. You've not only commandeered my ex-husband for protective detail duty, but also the man he accused me of cheating on him with five years ago?"

"Uh huh," Olivia said meekly, flashing Elizabeth another bright smile.

"You're right," Elizabeth replied evenly as she sat up straight in the chair. "I'm _not_ crazy. _You_ are! You actually expect those two to work cooperatively WITH me! You aren't just crazy. You are certa-freaking-fiable!" she accused loudly, her eyes widening more with every word she spoke.

"It was going fine when I came in here," Lizzie replied cheerfully with a careless shrug.

"Wait," Lizbet gasped, shaking her head from side to side as she recoiled in the arm chair. "You mean that they're both _here_, Olivia? Now?"

"Yes," Olivia answered calmly, her expression the picture of serenity.

"You left the two biggest alpha males on the East Coast and sworn enemies of one another alone together…in the living room? Together?" Elizabeth asked, her voice almost squeaky with panic.

"I did," Olivia agreed readily. "It's time for those two to hash out the events of the past and get on the same page. The sooner they do that, the sooner they can focus all that testosterone into finding out who is targeting you. Those men are the absolute best at what they do. They know the criminal mind backwards and forwards. And while they're measuring to see whose dick is bigger, I need to bring you around to accepting what needs to happen next."

"Next?" Elizabeth whispered, that last word echoing in her ears. "Why do I have the very real feeling that it only gets worse from here?"

* * *

_Hello, friends! If you've been looking for our M-rated stories, we've found a new home for them! After fanfiction. net began to purge M-rated stories that were questionable according to their Terms of Service, we voluntarily removed our stories and are in the process of loading them on The Writer's Coffee Shop (thewriterscoffeeshop DOT com...make that a real address)._

_To find us, visit TWCS and then choose Library. Then click Authors, choose the I category, then ilovetvalot. Our stories will be listed for you to read!_

_If the story is rated M or NC-17 on that site, registration is required (so they can control the age of the viewers). It only takes about a minute to set up an account! Click Library, then choose Register from the left-side menu. Fill in the information requested (and you only have to give the information that is required with astericks!). You will receive a confirmation email and then be able to view all sorts of amazing stories!_

_We are continuing to post on , and we enjoy this site very much. However, in order to be in compliance with 's rules, we will be posting our M-rated stories at TWCS, and we will also post certain chapters of our epic stories at TWCS if the chapter strays into the M-rating. We will be updating our profile page very soon to provide you with links and to keep everyone updated on exactly where our stories are located!_

_**WE UPDATED OUR ROSSI/GARCIA EPIC, "TOUCHED BY AN ANGEL", AT THE WRITERS COFFEE SHOP. STOP BY AND CHECK OUT CHAPTER 15, ALONG WITH SOME OTHER FUN STORIES ALREADY UPLOADED THERE! WE HAVE ALSO PUBLISHED A COMPLETELY NEW "M" STORY CALLED "AT THE END OF THE RAINBOW" AT THE WRITERS COFFEE SHOP! PLEASE CHECK IT OUT.**_

_We truly appreciate your continued support, and we look forward to providing you with many more stories in the future! Again, we apologize for any inconvenience this has caused any of you._


	14. Chapter 14

**FORUM NEWS: Several fun things going on NOW on the Chit Chat on Author's Corner forum on !**

**1. The July Challenge, "The Crossover Challenge" is now up and available or sign ups at Chit Chat on Author's Corner forum. Please join us. The rules are simple. Choose one tv character from another show, past or present and get randomly assigned one of the CM crew to pair your chosen character with. Signups are thru July 1****st****.**

**2. Please swing by one of our newest threads and offer your suggestions and opinions for this year's third annual Criminal Minds Profiler's Choice Awards.**

**3. Check out another new thread "Cover Girls…the New Option for covers on . Read and share helpful tips for creating story covers.**

**4. The thread "Where, oh where, have the M Stories Gone? – This is a handy guide for readers to find where their favorite authors are posting their mature content stories these days. Authors, feel free to pop by and reply to the thread.**

**5. The thread "The Dog Days of Summer" mini-challenge. Come by and write a story for this fun summer challenge.**

* * *

**The Second Time Around**

**Chapter Fourteen**

Smiling, Olivia shook her head as she squeezed Lizbet's fingers. "Honey, do you really think I would let things get worse?"

Wrinkling her nose, Lizbet leaned forward as she drew in a deep breath. "I think you will do what you always do, Livy, which is to say, you'll try to defy the laws of nature in an attempt to make things as perfect as you can for your client."

"And we both know that you are a lot more than just a client to everybody concerned," Olivia countered as she frowned, her normally smooth forward wrinkling. "You're _family_."

"I know," Lizbet replied softly with a sigh. "But, let's get real here. You just put two men who hate each other with an unholy passion together in the next room. This is the height of extreme, Liv. In my world, that move is one step below apocalyptic. And yet, my stomach is sinking here because I have this horrible feeling that's just the tip of the iceberg in what you have planned. I'm right, aren't I?"

Tilting her head slightly as she smiled at her best friend, Olivia replied easily but firmly, "Your stomach is sinking because you managed to eat more sugar than should be consumed in a week of Sundays. And the boys are grown-ups. They'll learn how to co-exist or the world will be better off without one of them. " Holding up a hand when Lizbet opened her mouth to protest, Olivia barreled forward as she said, "We have a unique opportunity to handle the situation you're facing right now, honey. And it involves you and David letting the world know that you are once again in a loving, committed relationship."

Her eyes widening almost comically as she stared at the woman that she considered to be closer than any sister could possibly be, Lizbet tried to form words but found that her throat was suddenly too tight and too dry to speak. "Are you out of your mind?" she finally squeaked out, her tone three octaves higher than normal.

"It's time for a reconciliation, Elizabeth. A very convincing reconciliation," Olivia replied decisively, sitting up straighter on the small ottoman.

"No," Lizbet denied automatically, waving her hands wildly in the air between them. "Did you hear anything I said earlier, Olivia? I can't! I can't go there again," she argued, her gut twisting painfully at the thought of being the focus of Dave's world again. She'd stood in the eye of that tornado once and nearly been rent in two. While she knew in her heart that he could never, ever physically hurt her, he could easily be classified as one of the cruelest men she'd ever met. Sometimes, without even trying.

"Elizabeth, do you remember when we met?" Olivia asked quietly, keeping her voice steady and supportive. "Do you remember the sixteen year old girl you were?"

"Liv," Lizbet began as she shook her head. "I don't know where you're going with…"

"Because I do remember her," Olivia continued as if Elizabeth hadn't spoken. "I came on to manage your father's campaign for the Senate. And he had this daughter….one that had the potential to become one of his greatest assets." Olivia smiled as she squeezed Lizbet's fingers. "You were so quiet and shy….but to the outside world, you appeared cold…aloof. But, when you trusted me enough to listen to my advice when I told you to smile and just be who you were meant to be….your world changed, didn't it? Things got better, didn't they?" Liv asked warmly, staring into Elizabeth's wary eyes.

"You know they did," Lizbet whispered, closing her eyes for a moment as she let herself remember those long ago years. "You were the reason I finally managed to convince my father to loosen the reins on me. You told him you'd quit if he didn't stop using me as a political pawn."

"I did," Liv agreed with a nod and a smile. "Because out of everyone in your family, you were the one that listened to my advice. You took in every word I said and kept trying your best even when it seemed impossible. You had complete faith in me. I need you to do that again now. I need you to trust me to know what's right here. If you can do that, I'll make you the same guarantee I made you about your father. I won't allow David to hurt you any more than I allowed your father to manipulate you then, but I need you to be that Senator's daughter again for now."

Grimacing, Elizabeth struggled to think of an argument she could use to sway the other woman. But, when the chips were down, Olivia had always known the right thing to say or do. "I really hope you know what you're doing."

"I do," Olivia declared resolutely, her voice softly determined.

"I feel like I'm about to open Pandora's box," Elizabeth grumbled. Glaring at her friend, she muttered, "This is all your fault, you know. If not for you, I'd never have _met_ David Rossi."

"Hey, all I did was introduce an old instructor to a talented copy editor. I never told you to fall in love with him," Olivia reminded her softly, biting back a grin as she remembered the fireworks that had occurred way back then. "In fact, I specifically remember reminding you repeatedly to be careful."

"I wasn't though, was I?" Lizbet sighed, leaning her head back against the chair. "No, I threw my entire heart into that marriage and that man," she whispered. "And now, you want me to do it again."

"I want you to be safe and stay that way," Olivia clarified, arching one brow as she forced her best friend to make eye contacct. "He is very good at protecting people he cares about Elizabeth. And in spite of everything that's happened….all the pain and anguish on both sides, I _know_ he still cares about you. Besides, in my opinion, he _owes_ you this. For everything he put you through….for every tear you cried…for everything you lost…he owes you this."

Swallowing hard, Elizabeth sniffled. "It's not that simple, Liv."

"Yes, it is," Olivia replied, her tone unforgiving. "The man owes you a marker. It's time for you to collect on the debt."

"Livvy, it isn't a business deal," Elizabeth said sadly with another loud sigh. "You know it's more complicated than that."

"I know," Olivia relented slightly, pausing for a moment before adding "But Elizabeth, you need him. If I thought there was another way…a better way, I'd take it. But, we have to play offense here."

"Why?" Lizbet asked plaintively.

"Because defense more than likely ends with us putting you in a casket. And those aren't odds that _any_ of us are willing to play."

"Okay, Olivia. I assume you've shared this plan with Dave," Elizabeth conceded, shakily accepting her fate. Seeing Liv's slow nod, she squared her shoulders. "Then I guess it's time for you to tell both of us what we're going to do. But first, I want to talk to David. Alone."

* * *

_Hello, friends! If you've been looking for our M-rated stories, we've found a new home for them! After fanfiction. net began to purge M-rated stories that were questionable according to their Terms of Service, we voluntarily removed our stories and are in the process of loading them on The Writer's Coffee Shop (thewriterscoffeeshop DOT com...make that a real address)._

_To find us, visit TWCS and then choose Library. Then click Authors, choose the I category, then ilovetvalot. Our stories will be listed for you to read!_

_If the story is rated M or NC-17 on that site, registration is required (so they can control the age of the viewers). It only takes about a minute to set up an account! Click Library, then choose Register from the left-side menu. Fill in the information requested (and you only have to give the information that is required with astericks!). You will receive a confirmation email and then be able to view all sorts of amazing stories!_

_We are continuing to post on , and we enjoy this site very much. However, in order to be in compliance with 's rules, we will be posting our M-rated stories at TWCS, and we will also post certain chapters of our epic stories at TWCS if the chapter strays into the M-rating. We will be updating our profile page very soon to provide you with links and to keep everyone updated on exactly where our stories are located!_

_**WE UPDATED OUR ROSSI/GARCIA EPIC, "TOUCHED BY AN ANGEL", AT THE WRITERS COFFEE SHOP. STOP BY AND CHECK OUT CHAPTER 15, ALONG WITH SOME OTHER FUN STORIES ALREADY UPLOADED THERE! WE HAVE ALSO PUBLISHED A COMPLETELY NEW "M" STORY CALLED "AT THE END OF THE RAINBOW" AT THE WRITERS COFFEE SHOP! PLEASE CHECK IT OUT.**_

_We truly appreciate your continued support, and we look forward to providing you with many more stories in the future! Again, we apologize for any inconvenience this has caused any of you._


	15. Chapter 15

**FORUM NEWS: Several fun things going on NOW on the Chit Chat on Author's Corner forum on !**

**1. The July Challenge, "The Crossover Challenge" is now up and available or sign ups at Chit Chat on Author's Corner forum. Please join us. The rules are simple. Choose one tv character from another show, past or present and get randomly assigned one of the CM crew to pair your chosen character with. Signups are thru July 1****st****.**

**2. Please swing by one of our newest threads and offer your suggestions and opinions for this year's third annual Criminal Minds Profiler's Choice Awards.**

**3. Check out another new thread "Cover Girls…the New Option for covers on . Read and share helpful tips for creating story covers.**

**4. The thread "Where, oh where, have the M Stories Gone? – This is a handy guide for readers to find where their favorite authors are posting their mature content stories these days. Authors, feel free to pop by and reply to the thread.**

**5. The thread "The Dog Days of Summer" mini-challenge. Come by and write a story for this fun summer challenge.**

* * *

**The Second Time Around**

**Chapter Fifteen**

Lizbet pulled at the sides of her borrowed dress as she stepped down the hallway, trying to lower the hem and failing. Olivia's clothes were beautiful, that she had to admit, but the Washington power broker was far more daring with her choices than Lizbet felt comfortable.

Drawing in a deep breath as she neared the living room, she mentally prepared herself for the coming argument. Time to batten down the hatches and ready her meager supply of weapons which mainly consisted of her ability to remain calm in the face of her ex-husband's bouts of temper. She had years of practice doing that, didn't she? But if history had taught her one thing, it was that David Rossi did not fight fair. He believed fully in the concept that the only fair fight was the one that he won…and she was determined to sway the battle to her side this time.

And yet, as she stepped into the living room, Olivia right behind her, she found herself not facing the enemy she had first been expecting. There was no antagonism in his demeanor or bravado in his body language. He was leaned against the window frame, muttering to himself. And she was certain she heard him say that he didn't mean it.

"What didn't you mean, Dave?" she blurted out before she could stop herself, her eyes wide as he slowly raised his face to hers. Her heart stuttered in her chest, in spite of her warnings to herself to maintain her composure, as she stared into his darkened eyes, and for a moment, she would have sworn on a stack of Holy Bibles that she was staring at the man that she had first fallen in love with over a decade ago.

Turning sharply, Dave frowned. How the hell had she managed to surprise him? Evidently, he was going deaf in his old age. "Nothing you'd be interested in hearing, Lizbet," he replied gruffly as Olivia followed his ex-wife into the room.

"Good news," Liv announced with a warning look at Dave. "Elizabeth is willing to cooperate. Stephen and I need to run back to the office for a few minutes. Can I trust you two alone in the same room together yet?" she asked, looking between her two old friends. "Perhaps, you could take this opportunity to share the framework for our plan tonight," she suggested to Dave as Stephen joined them.

"We're leaving them alone together?" Stephen balked, looking wildly from one woman to the other. "In the same room? In the same house? With knives? Are you sure that's wise, Livvy?" he asked, yelping when Liv's nails embedded in his arm.

"We're going, Stephen," Liv ordered, snagging the shocked man's arm and shoving him toward the door. "I have every faith that David and Lizbet can act like adults for an hour," she said with more confidence than she felt. "If there are any problems, call me," she said before closing the door on the two quiet people facing each other.

"Wait!" Lizbet called before the door snapped closed. "I forgot to ask. Has anybody found Mr. Whiskers yet?" she worried as Liv poked her head back inside the house.

Exchanging an alarmed look with Dave, Liv faltered, uncertain what to share.

Dave's voice was sure, however, as he answered, "No, Lizbet. The cat must have slipped out when the unsub left," he lied smoothly, his eyes warning Olivia to keep her mouth shut. Elizabeth was frightened enough already without knowing that her precious pet had been tortured and killed. And he was not about to add to her fears if he didn't have to.

Merely blinking, Liv nodded. "I'm sure Mr. Whiskers will be fine, sweetie. Right now, we need to focus on keeping you that way, too. Now, listen to what David has to say. I'll be back soon." She smiled tightly, closing the door quickly before her friend could see the dishonesty in her eyes.

Shoulders sagging in defeat, Lizbet trudged to the sofa and curled into the corner before forcing herself to look at her ex-husband. "So," she said softly, "If I'm understanding Livvy's convoluted plan correctly, you and I are going to reconcile for appearance's sake."

"That's right," Dave agreed, nodding as he slowly approached. Taking the chair nearest her, he studied her drawn face. "I know you don't like it," he said, keeping his voice low. "It's a solid plan though, Lizbet."

Raising an eyebrow, Lizbet snorted. "I'd say not liking it is a massive understatement. I hate it, David," she ground out. "You back in my life is the last thing I want or need, but I trust Liv. If she says this is best, I'll go along. For now."

"I'm glad you've decided to be reasonable," Dave replied, relieved that she was no longer fighting it.

"I'm surprised at you, though," she remarked, staring at him.

Both Dave's eyebrows rose. "Why's that?" he asked carefully.

"Won't this alleged reconciliation send ripples through the harem that follows you around?" she asked snidely, not at all guilty for taking a small dig at his perfect façade. "I'd hate to throw a wrench into your relationship wheel."

"There's no harem, Elizabeth," Dave responded heavily, his jaw clenching as he stared directly at her. "There hasn't been for quite awhile," he acknowledged softly.

"Oh!" She smiled sweetly, her eyes narrowing slightly. "Did the Viagra stop working?" she asked, feigning a sympathy she clearly didn't feel. "I hear tell there are other options on the market these days."

"Very funny," Dave replied on a sigh, shaking his head as he refused to allow himself to rise to her bait. "All my parts still work fine, Lizbet. I'm just selective about who I choose to operate them."

"Sure you are," Lizbet muttered, remembering all the articles she'd read those first few years after they divorced. Every magazine showed a different woman draped across his arm. The one thing she was willing to bet Dave _wasn't_ was celibate.

"I'm a lot of things, Lizbet," Dave reminded his ex-wife calmly. "A liar was never one of them. You know that."

"Don't you dare presume to tell me what I _know_, David," Elizabeth retorted heatedly, old anger resurfacing instantly. "The only thing I know with complete certainty is that I never knew you! I have no clue who you are. And I don't want to. You _left me. _When I needed you….when…" Gasping for breath, Lizbet clutched the arm of the sofa. Control. She needed control.

"I let you down, Bethy," Dave acknowledged quietly as realized how much pain he'd inflicted on the woman in front of him. "I failed. You didn't. Is that what you need to hear?"

Now that hadn't been at all what she was expecting. And she would have believed that she was beyond the point where David Rossi could surprise her anymore. Shocked, Elizabeth blinked. "You think it's that easy, David? You think I should trust you because you've given your version of an apology? Five years ago, you took everything I thought I knew and turned it into a lie. You broke your vows to me and to God," she accused him tightly, clenching the throw pillow with a grip that would have frightened a linebacker. "You made a mockery of our marriage. Do you think I could _ever _forgive you for that?"

"I made a mistake, Elizabeth," Dave said heavily, wondering how many times he would have to say that phrase before it made a dent.

"A mistake?" Lizzie repeated incredulously, a hysterical bubble of laughter welling inside her. The man was a moron. "Is that what you call it? You accused me of being unfaithful. You accused me of intentionally getting pregnant! You demanded I change to meet your needs. Then, when I couldn't do it…when I couldn't be that little Stepford wife you needed so badly, you told me that you never wanted any of it in the first place. And you call it a mistake?"

Okay, it was clear he'd crossed a line with her and unintentionally stoked a fire that had been burning a long damned time. Holding up a hand, he tried to interrupt. "Lizbet…"

"Shut up," she snarled, her bright eyes flashing angrily as she jerked upright on the sofa. "It's my turn to talk now! After five years, I've earned the chance to tell you all the ways you were wrong! You sure as hell took delight in detailing all the ways I'd failed you! It's my turn now! A mistake is what you make when you accidently step on someone's foot. A mistake is paying the wrong amount on your electric bill. You _gutted _me, you ass! And now, you think you can just write it all off as a 'mistake'? The hell you will!" she shrieked, catapulting off the sofa and stomping toward the kitchen.

* * *

_Hello, friends! If you've been looking for our M-rated stories, we've found a new home for them! After fanfiction. net began to purge M-rated stories that were questionable according to their Terms of Service, we voluntarily removed our stories and are in the process of loading them on The Writer's Coffee Shop (thewriterscoffeeshop DOT com...make that a real address)._

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_**WE UPDATED OUR ROSSI/GARCIA EPIC, "TOUCHED BY AN ANGEL", AT THE WRITERS COFFEE SHOP. STOP BY AND CHECK OUT CHAPTER 15, ALONG WITH SOME OTHER FUN STORIES ALREADY UPLOADED THERE! WE HAVE ALSO PUBLISHED A COMPLETELY NEW "M" STORY CALLED "AT THE END OF THE RAINBOW" AT THE WRITERS COFFEE SHOP! PLEASE CHECK IT OUT.**_

_We truly appreciate your continued support, and we look forward to providing you with many more stories in the future! Again, we apologize for any inconvenience this has caused any of you._


	16. Chapter 16

**FORUM NEWS: Several fun things going on NOW on the Chit Chat on Author's Corner forum!**

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**IMPORTANT NOTE: Thank you to everyone that has taken the time to read, review, favorite and alert our stories here on this site. We truly enjoy hearing from each one of you. Also, please check out our "M" stories at The Writers Coffee Shop (TWCS). If anyone needs a link or direction to the new site, please feel free to contact us through either a private message or while leaving a review and we'll make sure to get back to you. Each former "M" story is getting an overhaul as we publish it AND there are new stories being added all the time there as well. Again, we'll be happy to answer any questions you have. As always, we own nothing other than our plots and original characters. Now, on with the story…**

* * *

**The Second Time Around**

**Chapter Sixteen**

Swallowing back a curse as he watched her disappear through the archway in the kitchen, Dave barely resisted the urge to knock a hole in the nearest wall. Damn it all to hell! How could this one tiny slip of a woman manage to send him into the stratosphere when his intentions had been to mend the rift between them? How?

What he could admit to himself, however, was that for the first time in a very long time, he didn't feel like he was sleepwalking through his life. No, he was invigorated in a way he hadn't realized he'd missed. She'd always had that effect on him.

Stomping through the living room and into the kitchen, he was intent on making her see some sort of logic whether she wanted to or not. "Lizbet, you've got to…"

But his words ended on a growl as he saw her reaching into the freezer for what appeared to be a second pint of ice cream, the first tasty treat already in hand. Shaking his head, he commanded, "You can't have that. You know you can't have that! Have you lost your mind?" Shaking his head as he eyed the Rocky Road and Cherry Garcia ice cream in her hands, he mentally calculated how much sugar was in those cartons. Over his dead body would she kill herself right in front of him. "Put it down. Now!" he ordered imperiously.

Elizabeth Hudson narrowed her eyes as she turned to face the man that was obviously sent to torment her for the rest of her given days. Firmly holding both containers, one in each hand, she replied through clenched teeth, "YOU don't get to tell me what I can and can't do, David Rossi. You don't even get to advise me, got it?" Plunking both containers onto the counter as she rifled through Livy's drawers for a spoon, she snapped, "Here's a newsflash for you! You're not the master of my universe anymore, David, so do us both a favor and dismount from that high horse of yours before I decide to knock you off it."

Her fingers finally locating the wily spoon she searched for, Lizbet smiled in victory. Turning, she leaned against the counter as she peeled off one of the lids. "As for the question of my sanity," she continued, stabbing at the frozen cream violently, "I assure you my therapist has assured me I'm quite sane, albeit a little addled by years spent with a controlling, domineering son of a Satan, but otherwise completely sane. "

"You're in therapy?" Dave gaped, trying to imagine his shy wife…erhmmm, ex-wife, opening up to a complete stranger. "Since when?"

Shoving a spoonful of creamy deliciousness between her lips, she shrugged. "I dunno. Three years? Maybe four. What does it matter? The point is, I've learned a few things about myself," she said bluntly, pointing at him with her spoon as she glared at him.

Sidling closer to the table as he angled toward the unopened pint, Dave invited silkily, "Do tell. This I've got to hear. What words of wisdom did your soothsayer impart?"

"I wondered how long it would take you to revert to the condescending prick I can easily recognize," Lizbet snorted, dipping her spoon again. "But I'll share anyway. I learned it's okay to not be okay, David. And guess what? Right now, I'm _not_ okay. This," she said, arcing her spoon around the kitchen, "isn't okay!"

"I've got news for you, babe. That's his hook. As long as you keep believing you aren't okay, he keeps collecting his fees right on schedule," Dave returned easily.

"Oh, I am so glad to see that you have added a degree in psychological therapy to the long list of areas in which you are an expert," Elizabeth snorted as she shoved a spoonful of the delicious ice cold treat into her mouth. Waving her spoon in the air again, she added, swallowing quickly, "Have you ever considered that someone other than you might actually have a clue about things, David? Have you ever even allowed your ego-blown head to try to wrap around the thought that you are not lord of all he surveys? Have you?"

"Not lately," he retorted, shifting slightly to avoid another round of that violent spoon. "I'm usually too busy being proved right. Now, put down that spoon, Elizabeth," he ordered implacably.

"Oh, how I hate you," Lizbet bit out before cramming the spoon back in her mouth.

"No, you don't," Dave replied softly. "If you did, you wouldn't still be wearing my ring around your neck." Instantly, he knew he'd said the wrong thing to her. Her pale face tightened while her entire body completely stilled. Taking an involuntary step backward as she suddenly surged forward, Dave watched her beautiful face contort with rage and pain.

"You bastard!" she said, hurling her words with the force of bullets. "How dare you say that to me?" she screamed, reaching for the nearest missile she could find. Drawing her arm back, she released it with deadly accuracy, the carton exploding against his chest.

"It's the truth, Bethy," Dave said calmly, ignoring the sticky mess sliding down his shirt as she backed away from him, shaking with fury. "I might have walked away from you, but you kept your end of the bargain."

"Shut up!" Lizbet demanded on a hysterical shriek, turning her head and searching for another weapon. "I kept my vows to _God_. Not to you! I don't give a damn about you, you soulless asshole!"

"You never did lie very well," Dave replied calmly, keeping his voice low as he carefully moved toward her. Like a cornered animal, her eyes darted this way and that, desperate for escape. "Now, stop acting like a petulant child so that we can discuss this like the rational adults we are."

Oh, hell, he thought belatedly as her eyes glazed over. How could he have forgotten how good arguing with this beautiful woman felt…how she could fire his blood in a way he'd never experienced before or after her. He'd _missed_ this. He'd missed _her_.

And while he might have wounded her spirit, he hadn't killed the love they'd shared. If she was indifferent to him, he might not have a chance. The fact that he could still inspire this kind of emotion, however, told him one thing.

Elizabeth might not want to care. She might very probably want to light his body aflame on a spit and watch it slowly roast by the light of a full moon.

But, he'd caught that stolen glimpse of the love she'd had for him burning in her vulnerable eyes for a scant second just a moment ago. It was hidden, camouflaged beneath layers of bitterness and contempt.

It was, however, still there.

And she knew he'd seen it.

Watching as her fingers wrapped around the full plastic bottle of dish soap, Dave shook his head. "Don't you dare," he threatened as he watched her lift her newest missile. Ducking smoothly as he heard the kitchen door open behind him, Dave grimaced as the weapon made contact with whoever the unfortunate soul behind him was, a masculine groan renting the air as the man stumbled against the doorframe.

Glancing behind him, Dave was surprised to see Aaron Hotchner cracking one eyelid and peering back at him. Straightening, he watched as Lizbet fumbled for another obstacle. "All right," Dave announced as he lunged toward her before she could reload, reaching into his pack pocket and withdrawing his metal handcuffs, "I do believe assaulting a federal officer is still a crime in all fifty states," he informed her as he managed to manacle one wrist. "And you, my dear, are under arrest," he said with a grim smile as he locked the second metal circle into place as she struggled against him.


	17. Chapter 17

_**Chit Chat on Author's Corner forum news: I'll try to keep it brief.**_

_August signups are open through July 31, 2012 for the "It's a Heat Wave Challenge!" Details can be found at the forum._

_New thread called, "What We're Reading Right Now!" is up and available for comment. We're asking readers and authors to tell us the first five books listed on their Kindle or e-reader (or, even their bookshelf)._

_Please check out an additional new thread called "Cover Girls…the New Option for covers on . Read and share helpful tips for creating story covers on the site._

_A continued thank you to everyone that has taken the time to read, review, favorite and alert our stories here on this site. We truly enjoy hearing from each one of you. Also, please check out our "M" stories at __**The Writers Coffee Shop (TWCS)**__ and a Brand New site run by fellow CM authors, Kavi Leighanna, Sienna27 and The Truth Between called __**Fractured-reality. Com**__. If anyone needs a link or direction to the new site, please feel free to contact us through either a private message or while leaving a review and we'll make sure to get back to you. Each former "M" story is getting an overhaul as we publish it AND there are new stories being added all the time there as well. Currently we are adding __**"FREEDOM OF A NEW EXPERIENCE"**__. Again, we'll be happy to answer any questions you have. As always, we own nothing other than our plots and original characters._

* * *

___**ALSO FOR THOSE FOLLOWING THE JJ/HOTCH STORY "THAT'S WHAT SHE SAID", THE NEXT CHAPTER IS AVAILABLE AT THE WRITERS COFFEE SHOP (TWCS) and FRACTURED-REALITY. COM. **_

* * *

**The Second Time Around**

**Chapter Seventeen**

"Let me go, you cretin," Lizbet screamed at the top of her lungs as she wriggled against Dave, squirming violently against his harder body. Cursing him and his muscular chest currently pressed against her back, she wondered if she could strangle him with her handcuffs. How dare he? She was not a criminal! She was merely a woman expressing her God-given right to remove HIM from her life! Damn it, she'd done it once and she would do it again. Only this time, she'd make sure he was on the other side of the dirt.

Pulling her tighter against him, he tried to ignore the way her ass nestled his groin, making him ache in a way he'd long forgotten. Dave murmured in her ear, "Babe, the cuffs only get tighter if you keep moving around like that."

Yanking her head around as his hot breath sent a shiver down her spine, Lizbet ignored him as she turned toward Hotch, her eyes pleading for his interference. She had no idea what the dickens Aaron Hotchner was doing in Olivia's kitchen, especially since the only thing the two of them could agree on was that they disliked each other intensely, but he'd always seemed to be a reasonable man. Surely he would intercede on her behalf. "Would you DO something about him? Surely this is against some sort of law! He can't just go around cuffing women just because he wants to!"

Having experienced the wrath of both David and Lizbet at times in the past, Aaron was well aware of the fact that he had to choose wisely as to which side he chose to plant his allegiance. Reaching up to wipe a swipe of ice cream from his shirt, Aaron said drily, "Well, he has a valid point, Lizbet. You did fire the first shot this time, and I _am_ a federal officer of the law." Until word got out that he'd been taken out by a pint of ice cream and a bottle of Joy, he thought miserably, lifting his hand to tentatively finger the growing goose egg on his forehead. Damning Rossi's quick reflexes, he glared at the older man.

"But I wasn't aiming for you," she protested, eyes wide as she stared at the agent she'd beaned upside the head. Aaron certainly hadn't been her target. That had to count for something, didn't it? "If he hadn't ducked, I'd have nailed him!" she whined, glaring at Dave.

"Glad to know you have such great faith in your aim, Bethy," Dave replied, biting back a smile as she struggled again, her tiny body rubbing his as she moved.

"Well, then you're gonna love this," she snorted, raising her foot and planting her high heel against his instep with a precision she didn't know she possessed. And when he yelped loudly, the curses turning the air blue around them, she knew she had indeed hit her mark.

"Damn it, Elizabeth," he roared when her pointed little shoe landed against the opposite leg's shin. "My next recourse is to lock you in a closet," he hissed, steadying himself against the counter as he leaned against her. "Or better yet, turning you across my knee is sounding better and better."

"Try it," Lizbet challenged narrowly, her fierce gaze nearly skewering him in two.

"Don't tempt me, Little Girl," Dave growled back, nose to nose with her. "As I recall, I was more than capable of reining that fiery little temper of yours into submission once upon a time."

"Your caveman routine is no longer effective with me," Lizbet spat, twisting against him again as she tried to evade his hands. Jaw dropping as his weight settled heavily against her, pinning her to the counter, she whispered dangerously, "You had sooooo better hope that's a gun in your pocket, Rossi."

"You should know, cara. You are more than a little familiar with all my weapons, aren't you, sweetheart?" he chuckled in spite of the scowl blanketing her face. "In fact, if memory serves, you always seemed to enjoy the way that gun used to fire."

Freezing, Lizbet's jaw dropped, her throat working furiously. "I can't believe you just said that," she shrieked furiously, her fingers locking around the flesh of his stomach and pinching painfully. She may be cuffed, but by God, she still had her ways! Hearing his groan, she felt a surge of satisfaction. "And for the record, your gun spent as much time misfiring as it did working correctly! I just didn't have the heart to tell you that your bullets weren't nearly as lethal as you give yourself credit for having, David," she announced loudly. "In fact, there were so many duds lodged in the barrel, I lost count of the number of times you actually hit what you aimed for!"

Hearing Aaron's muffled laughter behind them, Dave's face flushed. He _knew_ she was lying through her pretty little teeth. But before he could call her for her prevarications, the front door opened and Olivia called into the apartment, "Okay, people. Where are all of you hiding?"

Lizbet struggled even more at the sound of her best friend's voice, and she called out angrily, "Olivia Pope, get your ass in here and save me from the Lone Ranger and Tonto! Preferably before I decide to use one to kill the other!"

"Which one of is which?" Aaron wondered out loud as he stepped to the side as Olivia and Steven stepped rapidly into the kitchen, each skidding to the stop as their surprised eyes took in the scene before them.

"Are those handcuffs?" Olivia asked Stephen, amazed that either man was still standing.

"I don't think now is the time to worry about that," Dave countered as barely dodged another well-aimed potentially disabling kick from his ex-wife. Damn, but the little slip of a woman was determined to maim him.

Her eyebrows rising halfway up her forehead, Olivia surveyed the scene in her kitchen as she said drily, "I take it that things got out of hand. Is this your idea of handling things, David? If so, I'd say your methods leave something to be desired," she frowned.

"What got out of hand is this son of a biscuit armed with a God complex and a gun provided to him by our not so great federal government!" Lizbet shouted, the words echoing around the brightly lit room. "And YOU think he's gonna be my best shot at safety? Have you lost your ever loving mind, Olivia? He _cuffed _ me for crying out loud," she shouted, raising her bound hands above her head for emphasis.

"All right, David. I'm going to have to insist you let our people go," Olivia ordered sternly, barely sparing a glance at Aaron Hotchner.


	18. Chapter 18

**The Second Time Around**

**Chapter Eighteen**

"You heard her!" Elizabeth exclaimed, waving her bound hands in Dave's face for emphasis. "Get these cuffs off me, you Neanderthal!"

"Says the pampered princess," Dave retorted, taking a wise half-step backwards as she attempted to pummel him. "Is the metal chafing that delicate skin of yours?" he mocked, his eyes glimmering with mischief.

"I'm so gratified to see that no other woman managed to enable you with a sensitivity chip yet! Only you could be a complete ass to a woman currently being harassed by somebody that is miraculously worse than YOU! Now, you turn me loose," she demanded, stomping her heel against the tiled floor.

Meeting her fiery gaze head on without so much as a flinch, Dave arched a brow. "Not if you're still intent on not listening to reason, babe."

"Reason? You call what you've been babbling reasonable? God in his heaven couldn't even come close to understanding your convoluted logic, David Rossi! And furthermore, I am not your _babe._ I swear to God, you've been with so many women that you can no longer remember the Christian names of the ones you married! My name is Elizabeth! Are you going deaf in your advanced years? I've heard the first sense to go in the elderly is the hearing. E-liz-a-beth!" she yelled, enunciating each syllable for him.

Stepping forward, Olivia clapped her hands together sharply, cutting off any potential response that any of the other inhabitants could be considering. "Okay, people. My house, my rules." Pointing at Dave, she demanded, "I don't know what your thought processes were, David, but handcuffs are not the answer to every problem, trust me. I will thank you to please remove them and let's discuss this situation like rational adults."

Growling, Dave countered, "I think you need to address your little diatribe to our mutual friend here, Liv. Her definition of rational is off any charts I've ever seen and I _work_ with Strauss!"

Smiling tightly, Olivia turned her focus to the still squirming Elizabeth. "Lizbet, honey, I need you to calm down for just a moment. David will take off the cuffs, you're both going to agree to sit on opposite sides of the room, and then we're going to discuss how to handle this situation. In the meantime," she declared, sending a scathing look at Aaron Hotchner sitting in her kitchen chair nursing the lump on his head, "Stephen will retrieve a bag of frozen peas from the freezer for Agent Hotchner's unfortunate injury."

Lizzie winced as she stole a glimpse at the lump forming on Aaron's forehead. Man, she really had an arm when righteously angered. "I really _am_ sorry about _that,_ Hotch."

"It was his skull, Elizabeth. It's too hard to have done any lasting damage," Olivia replied in a bored voice. "Besides, I don't remember extending Agent Hotchner an invitation to the party," she added, shooting the newest intruder a glare capable of withering lesser men. "Is there a particular reason you've chosen to disturb my peace, Aaron?"

"Peace?" Aaron echoed incredulously. "You have a skewed outlook on what constitutes tranquility around here, Olivia," he snorted. "But I'll play along. I'm here because evidently Director Strauss thought I appeared to have nothing better to do than perform as Rossi's valet this afternoon. She showed up in my office and demanded that I deliver his tuxedo to this address post haste. Imagine my surprise when I arrived to hear shrieks emanating from within the confines of said address. As a sworn officer of the law, I responded to the screams. And took a shot in the head with….what did you hit me with again, Lizbet?" Aaron asked tersely.

"Dish soap," Lizbet murmured as she grimaced. "I'm really sorry, Aaron."

"Ah, yes! I believe the brand was Joy," Aaron continued, plucking the bottle from the floor beside his foot. "Exhibit A," he said, brandishing the yellow bottle with a flourish. "Prior to that, I believe I was assaulted with a pint of Rocky Road. Although, to be fair, it could have been cookies-n-cream," he said, staring morosely down at his stained shirt.

"It was Chunky Monkey," Lizbet corrected meekly, shifting behind Dave's back to peek around his shoulder. "And I was aiming for Dave, Aaron. You just…got in the way."

"He _ducked_!" Aaron retorted with a heated look at Rossi.

"Hey, when she's locked and loaded, the only sane thing to _do_ is duck," Dave defended himself with a shrug. "I learned that year one when she tried to take me out with a stapler."

"Oh, the good old days," Stephen reminisced, passing Aaron a bag of frozen peas. "As I recall, you had six stitches from that exchange."

"And a scar," Dave complained, turning to lift his hair and stare at Lizzie.

"You shouldn't have called me the comma Gestapo," Lizzie returned huffily, jabbing his chest with her still bound hands. "I was the editor. You were the author! And not a great one either, until I got done with you and that manuscript!"

"You were a grammar nazi, Bethy!" Dave shouted back. "You could disassemble one of my chapters faster than…"

"Could we focus here?" Aaron interrupted before Dave and Lizbet could escalate again. "What in the hell is going on here? Why are _you_ in the same zip code as Elizabeth?" he asked Dave. Glancing at Olivia, he asked, "Didn't we agree we'd never allow that to happen again after they divorced? I specifically remember you standing inside my office threatening me with a restraining order if I ever allowed Dave to even drift into Lizbet's airspace."

"Circumstances have changed. This is a rather…fluid situation," Olivia replied vaguely, shooting Elizabeth a worried glance as the smaller woman aimed another kick in David's direction. "As you can see," she said, narrowing her eyes on David as he struggled to protect his manhood, "The current condition of our mutual friends' relationship remains….volatile."

Raising one brow, Aaron cocked his head. "You're still the master of understatement, I'll give you that. Based on what I've experienced in the past half hour, you're sitting on a powder keg ready to blow sky high. So, do us all a favor and save the veiled innuendos for your clients, Liv, and be straight. What the hell is happening here?" he asked sharply, looking around at the room's occupants.

* * *

_**Chit Chat on Author's Corner forum news: I'll try to keep it brief.**_

_August signups are open through July 31, 2012 for the "It's a Heat Wave Challenge!" Details can be found at the forum._

_There is a new discussion thread available called, "_WHY ARE OUR READERS NOT REVIEWING? We asked, and our readers answered!" _Please check it out and leave a comment._

_We also have another discussion thread entitled __**"**_**The Ups and Downs of Writing an Uncommon Pairing**_**"**__. Please let us know what you think! _

_A continued thank you to everyone that has taken the time to read, review, favorite and alert our stories here on this site. We truly enjoy hearing from each one of you. Also, please check out our "M" stories at __**The Writers Coffee Shop (TWCS)**__ and a Brand New site run by fellow CM authors, Kavi Leighanna, Sienna27 and The Truth Between called __**Fractured-reality. Com**__. If anyone needs a link or direction to the new site, please feel free to contact us through either a private message or while leaving a review and we'll make sure to get back to you. Each former "M" story is getting an overhaul as we publish it AND there are new stories being added all the time there as well._


	19. Chapter 19

_**SPECIAL NOTE: SEPTEMBER signups are now open through AUGUST, 31, 2012 for the "THE MIX n MATCH CHALLENGE!" Details can be found at the forum. **_

_**Also, a new chapter to "Touched by an Angel" has been posted at The Writers Coffee Shop (TWCS) for those following that story. Links to that site can be found on my profile page.**_

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**The Second Time Around**

**Chapter Nineteen**

"If E-liz-a-beth," Dave enunciated every syllable of his ex-wife's name as he smirked in her direction, "would please quit trying to use her evil skills to maim me and sheath those claws of hers, then we might be able to make sense of this freaking circus."

"If Agent Snotbritches would bother to take off these cuffs," Elizabeth countered sharply as she stomped her foot against the tiled floor, "Then I would be able to finish the job and put him out of my misery!"

Wincing as the other woman's words ended on a high pitched screech, Olivia stepped forward and held out her hand. "Hand over the keys right now, David. We're going to sit down and discuss all of this like professionals."

"That'll be the day with this group of mates," Steven muttered, crossing his arms over his chest as he watched David Rossi reluctantly pull a small key out of his pocket.

As she deftly undid the locked cuffs, Olivia declared, her tone stern, "Now listen to me. We're going to move this discussion to the living room. You," she added, turning to glare at Dave, "will sit in the rocker. And you," she declared, pointing at a now free Elizabeth, "Will sit on the sofa with Steven on one side and me on the other." Throwing a glare over her shoulder, she added, "And Agent Hotchner can stand in the middle of the room and grill us all."

"I'll be keeping my wife next to me," Dave growled, lifting Elizabeth's slim wrist even as she struggled against him, "where I _might_ have a hope in hell of keeping her from doing permanent damage to either herself or me."

"Ex-wife!" the entire room exploded in unison as Lizbet focused her blood red gaze on him.

"At this point, I don't think it's worth arguing over the semantics of that statement," Dave retorted, trying to pull her forward.

"Oh," Elizabeth breathed, nearly overcome by the need to rake her nails down the side of his face for his careless insolence, "I assure you, we _are_ very much divorced. I checked. My attorney was very clear. You dumped me, remember, David? I do. I was in a hospital bed when those papers were served."

Slamming her small hands into the center of Dave's chest, she was satisfied to see him stumble backward. "How dare you refer to me as _your_ anything, but especially your _wife_," she snarled, her eyes snapping as she shoved him again. "You discarded me like _trash_. NO! Wait! You'd have more respect for trash. You'd at least attempt to get trash in a garbage can….to give it a proper send-off. Not me, though! Tell me, David," she sneered, "Did you screw that woman in _my_ bed while I was recovering from losing _our_ child? Did you?" she screamed, slapping his chest again.

"No," he said softly, accepting her stinging blows as penance. "I didn't. I committed a lot of sins, but that wasn't one of them."

Taking a step closer to him as her breath came in shaky gasps, she held up a finger. "I want you to hear this. Really hear it, David. No matter what you do, here or in the future, I will _never_ forgive you for what you did to me. If you think you can waltz in here and save the day and then expect my gratitude when it's over, you're mistaken. There's no absolution for what you did to me. None."

"Elizabeth," he muttered as he grimaced, alarmed when she weaved on her feet. Reaching for her arm, his stomach sank as she flinched away from his touch.

"Say. It," she demanded. "Say that you understand what I'm saying to you or so help me, God, I will take my chances with whatever is out there waiting for me! I'm fairly convinced that whoever it is can't hurt me any _worse_ than you did," she said, jabbing a finger towards the door.

Elizabeth didn't bluff. She didn't have a poker face. She didn't bother with ultimatums and false threats. If he didn't accept her terms, she'd take her chances without him and any protection he could provide. Liv's audible indrawn breath only served to confirm what he already knew. And he wouldn't…he couldn't play Russian Roulette with this woman's life.

"I understand, Bethy. But in the interest of fairness, my recognition of your position does not mean that I'll stop trying to gain your forgiveness," he replied softly. Her sneer broke his heart. Disbelief shined in her eyes as she laughed harshly and shook her head.

"There are better odds that Satan will serve you ice water in hell," Elizabeth whispered as she lifted her chin defiantly. "I don't have anything left inside me that _wants_ to forgive you. I used up all my goodwill while I was trying to survive after you left. I'll play your game. I'll do whatever Liv tells me to do with you because I don't particularly want to die. Not anymore. But you….you are _not_ my hero in this scenario. Like Olivia explained to me earlier….you owe a debt. It's time to pay."

Olivia waited while the couple stared at each other for a long emotionally charged minute. Finally stepping forward when she watched Lizbet steady herself against the wall, she murmured, "He hears you, Lizbet. "

"She needs to check her sugar levels, Livvy," Dave said gruffly, concerned. "I'm not sure how much of that ice cream she crammed down her throat before I got it away from her."

"Mind your own…"

"He's right," Olivia interceded calmly, stepping in front of her friend and blocking David from her eyesight. "Go into the bathroom with Stephen and take your blood sugar," she ordered gently. "I'll take the opportunity to fill in Aaron before we discuss our next step. That man," she said firmly, aware that Elizabeth knew exactly to who she referred, "is not going to wreck you again…especially not your health. You've worked too hard to get thing under control to backtrack now," she said, squeezing Lizbet's hands before she gestured for Stephen.

"C'mon, love," Stephen smiled, wrapping an arm around Lizbet's shoulders and ignoring Dave's immediate scowl. "If you're a very good poppet, I might even let you fix me some lunch after this is all said and done. I'm famished."

Rolling her eyes as the duo disappeared into the hallway, Olivia turned to face Dave and Aaron. Narrowing her eyes, she whispered, "I hope you realize what a big, big bullet you just dodged, David."

* * *

_**Chit Chat on Author's Corner forum news: I'll try to keep it brief.**_

_SEPTEMBER signups are open through AUGUST, 31, 2012 for the "THE MIX n MATCH CHALLENGE!" Details can be found at the forum. _

_There is a new discussion thread available called, "W_HY ARE OUR READERS NOT REVIEWING? We asked, and our readers answered!" _Please check it out and leave a comment._

_We also have another discussion thread entitled __**"**_**The Ups and Downs of Writing an Uncommon Pairing**_**"**__. Please let us know what you think! _

_A continued thank you to everyone that has taken the time to read, review, favorite and alert our stories here on this site. We truly enjoy hearing from each one of you. Also, please check out our "M" stories at __**The Writers Coffee Shop (TWCS)**__ and a Brand New site run by fellow CM authors, Kavi Leighanna, Sienna27 and The Truth Between called __**Fractured-reality. Com**__. If anyone needs a link or direction to the new site, please feel free to contact us through either a private message or while leaving a review and we'll make sure to get back to you. Each former "M" story is getting an overhaul as we publish it AND there are new stories being added all the time there as well._


	20. Chapter 20

_**SPECIAL NOTE: SEPTEMBER signups are now open through AUGUST, 31, 2012 for the "THE MIX n MATCH CHALLENGE!" Details can be found at the forum. **_

_**Also, new chapters to "Touched by an Angel" and "You Found Me" have been posted at The Writers Coffee Shop (TWCS) for those following those stories. Links to that site can be found on my profile.**_

_**AND NOW THE BIG NEWS- THE AWARDS SEASON HAS COMMENCED! Nominations have opened for the third annual Profiler's Choice Awards for Criminal Minds' fandom! Please visit Chit Chat on Author's Corner forum for the nomination ballot, rules and guidelines and category definitions. Please review ALL information BEFORE submitting your nomination ballot. Ilovetvalot, Tonnie2001969, and HXChick are NOT eligible for ANY awards.**_

* * *

**The Second Time Around**

**Chapter Twenty**

Rubbing his hand over his whiskered jaw, Dave growled, "I'm not an idiot, Livy. I know she's mad." Hell, merely being mad would be an improvement right now. The woman he'd loved was beyond pissed. He wasn't even sure there were words for how she felt about him. The agony he'd seen burning in those expressive eyes of hers hadn't been manufactured. He'd been staring at years of bottled pain and anger. The analytical part of his mind recognized that couldn't be bottle necked forever. She needed to release it if only for her own sanity.

Smiling tightly as she arched her dark eyebrow, Olivia shook her head, curls falling smoothly against her rounded shoulders. "I think you're underestimating the severity of the situation once again, David. Mad is what happens when Lizbet doesn't get the correct order from Amazon. Mad is what happens when a thunderstorm delays the opening of her favorite Washington Nationals. Mad even happens when she has to justify a storyline choice to her editor." Poking a taloned-nail into his chest, she continued, "What she is now is not even remotely related to the word mad and you _know _it. She is righteously and royally pissed at you, David, and it would do you well to recognize the full magnitude of that emotion _before_ it gets a knife planted in the blackened heart of yours."

Taking a step back as he attempted to avoid the lethal weapon that was Olivia's manicure, Dave held up a hand to forestall any continued responses. "I get it, Liv. But she's gonna have to give me time to come to grips with the fact that she's changed. The woman I was married to barely knew how to raise her voice. Her retribution of choice was usually burning my dinner. In all the years I've known Elizabeth, I can count on one hand the actual number of times that I watched her lose her temper. I can't just…."

"Oh, but I believe you can," Olivia interrupted smoothly, her eyes widening as she crossed her arms over her chest. "You can let her be or do anything she needs in order to work through this. Because don't be confused about this. If I were in her shoes, I would have already sent your worthless carcass out to the Serengeti for the lions to feast on it. If I'd have had _my_ way all those years ago, they would have found your lifeless body in some back alley, the victim of a senseless crime that no one could solve. She wanted you alive. I didn't."

Looking up from his position seated on the couch, Aaron Hotchner raised an eyebrow. "Don't you think you're being a tad dramatic, Olivia?"

"I don't know, Aaron," Olivia replied coldly, never even bothering to glance at the other man. "Am I? You were there. You bore witness to the man that was David Rossi," she said, sneering at Dave as she spoke. "All that machismo and bravado," she remembered, her voice drawling in sarcasm. "You were the hottest thing going on the New York Times Bestseller List. A rising star in in an untapped literary market and a hotshot FBI agent to boot. The world was your oyster and you were determined to sample as much as that rich little life had to offer. Funny, you don't seem so happy now. It got old fast, didn't it?"

"You know it did," Dave snapped impatiently. "Any particular reason you wanna rehash the past now, Livvy?"

"Your past shaped Elizabeth's life…it made her who she is now," Olivia responded waspishly. "And _both_ of you are smart enough to know it." Taking a deep breath as she mentally took a step back from these two men, she said softly, "You cannot come here and expect to treat her the way you did then in _any_ capacity. She doesn't trust you, David. You hurt her. You scarred her. Regardless of your intentions, you _did_ that. The best thing you can do for everyone concerned is at least _own_ that much."

"Don't make the mistake of telling me what to do, Olivia," Dave warned ominously, his pride bristling at her order.

"Don't make the mistake of thinking that you terrify me, David," Olivia countered evenly. "I can make sure Elizabeth remains protected with or without your assistance. I'd prefer with, but it's not set in stone. If I believe that you won't be the best thing to stand between her and whatever is lurking in the shadows, I'll have very little trouble finding someone else to serve as a buffer. As I've proven, Option B required minimal effort on my part."

"Jason Gideon is _not_ getting anywhere near my wife again," Dave snarled, his eyes glittering as he spoke.

"She isn't your _wife_, David. You threw that privilege away, remember?" Olivia laughed, her head shaking in amusement. She'd forgotten how talented the elder man at creating a revisionist history when it suited his needs.

"She's still wearing _my_ ring," Dave spat, arching one dark brow in defiance. "I'd say that means something!"

"Yes, she wears it around her neck. Like a noose," Olivia sighed, rolling her eyes. "And I think she wears it as more of a reminder, David, of what she lost more than for whatever sentimental reasons your mind might have concocted," she defended her friend sharply.

"She wears that ring because in her heart and in the eyes of God, she's _still married_," Dave insisted. "That means I still have a few rights, Liv."

"Don't you dare use her devout faith against her," Olivia hissed, her own eyes narrowing to slits. "You weren't concerned about being a good Catholic when you married that little slut right after the divorce was finalized, were you? You could have cared less about giving Lizbet the peace an annulment could have provided her. No," she mocked as she shook her head, "as usual, it was all about your needs and what made you happiest! You do _not_ get to play that card with her or with me, David. You don't have any rights here."

"Would you two stop?" Aaron exclaimed heavily, rising to stand between them. "For God's sake," he bit out irritably, "Would somebody tell me what the hell you're talking about? How the hell is Lizbet in danger? What happened, Olivia?"

Glancing at Aaron Hotchner, Olivia relaxed somewhat. While he'd proven to be a thorn in her side on more than one occasion in the last decade, he _was_ one of the good guys. "She's being stalked."

"Stalked," Aaron echoed, his mind already processing the threat in a swift risk assessment. "Has it become physical or is he still in the psychological terror stage?"

"The son of a bitch ransacked her house and killed her cat, Aaron. The bastard is escalating. Fast," Dave replied harshly, his fists clenching at his side.

"But Lizbet doesn't know that part yet," Liv added quickly, darting a glance toward the kitchen.

"About the cat, I'm assuming," Aaron acknowledged as he nodded, massaging his temples. "And I guess this is where you come in?" he asked, glancing at Dave's somber face.

"I commandeered him," Liv agreed with a sharp nod.

"And evidently, Director Strauss agreed," Aaron said dryly. "Was it a favor you called in or did you blackmail her?"

Smiling benignly, Live replied, "Six of one, half a dozen of the other. The point remains that I'll call in whatever markers I need in order to keep her safe. The question is, are you in or out, Agent Hotchner?"

* * *

_**Dear Readers,**_

_**So, surgery is done, but recovery is going to be slow. Between the neck brace and incision, my body just isn't as spry as I t used to be. This of course will slow down updates and postings. I'm sorry for the inconvenience, but please know that I am trying to continue to offer you quality work in a timely manner. Please continue to direct all questions regarding the Profiler's Choice Awards and nominations to Tonnie2001969 and allow us 72 hours to respond to any questions. We would like to encourage you to nominate your favorite CM stories in this year's awards. We'd like to have a nice well-rounded voting ballot to offer you and that only happens if we nominate our faves.**_

_**Thanks again for your continued understanding!**_

_**ilovetvalot**_


	21. Chapter 21

**SOME SPECIAL, SPECIAL NEWS FOR OUR READERS:**

_We wanted all our readers here to know..._

We (the authors ilovetvalot and tonnie2001969) are pleased to announce the publication of our first book on Kindle...

_**Inescapable Eye of the Storm**__. Join our original characters Abigail Donovan and Colin Storm as they find a unique way to ride out the storm brewing...both inside and outside the bedroom!_

Romance and Erotica find their perfect mix in this fantastic tale of pleasure brought to you by _**Sarah O'Rourke**__. That's the penname we've chosen to use professionally._

_There's a sneak peek that is available on Amazon. com on the "Look Inside" tab. If you've liked our fanfiction, we can't wait to hear what you think about our first published piece!_

_For anyone interested, right now, our work is exclusively available for purchase at Amazon. Com. And you don't need a kindle to read it (though Kindle readers are always appreciated)… you can download it to your computer! Simply travel over to Amazon. Com and search for __Inescapable Eye of the Storm__ by Sarah O'Rourke!_

_Thanks to everyone that encouraged us to make this leap. Without our readers and supporters, we'd never have had the fortitude we needed to forge ahead. _

_And bonus news…Colin and Abby's story doesn't stop here. More books are coming your way! Stay tuned – We'll be launching a website page for our alter-__ego, Sarah, very soon!_

_AND, she already has a Facebook page. Please friend __**Sarah O'Rourke**__ and get in on some special upcoming giveaways and sneak peeks at the upcoming stories!_

_Also, we WILL continue with all of our fanfiction stories. We won't be abandoning anything. We might just be a little slow._

* * *

**The Second Time Around**

**Chapter Twenty-One**

Before Aaron could respond, they were interrupted by a loud voice coming from the hallway.

"I know you're all talking about me in there," Lizbet called out, her voice slightly muffled for a moment before she added, clearly, "And whatever you're saying better be true." Rounding the corner leading from the bathroom, Lizbet stomped into the living room, hands on her hips. "I'm not a child that needs to be protected, contrary to what some may believe," she added with a severe look in her ex-husband's direction. "I'm quite capable of making decisions regarding my own life."

Her face transforming into a serene mask as she turned to face her best friend, Livy smiled sweetly as she took a step forward. "Sweetie, we're not saying anything that we wouldn't discuss in the open with you, but we didn't want to bore you with the details. Plans have to be made, you know."

Appearing over Lizbet's shoulder, his head well above the smaller woman's, Steven smiled tightly as he met Livy's eyes. "I think Lizbet might have some plans of her own that we might want to hear about, Liv. She's quite adamant about a few things, apparently."

Crossing her arms over her chest, Lizbet ignored the tall man behind her as she turned slightly. "Well, seeing as how it's my life on the line here, then I'd say I have the right to determine the direction. " Stretching out a hand, she pointed at Dave as she muttered, "And you are going to keep your hands and handcuffs to yourself, understand?"

"While I agree that there is no need to resort to human bondage," Livy began patiently, "Keeping his hands to himself will be a bit of a problem."

"What are you up to here, Liv?" Lizbet asked hesitantly, staring at her so-called best friend.

"For a reconciliation to appear realistic, I'm afraid that a certain amount of touching is going to be necessary," Olivia explained gently. "It has to be convincing, sweetie. It has to be so good that it could fool anyone standing in this room or it's never going to be believable to this person that's spent months watching you."

"Face it, darling," Stephen drawled behind her, "This needs to be an Academy Award winning performance on _both_ your parts. Otherwise, we're wasting time. The question is, can you two set aside your differences and pull this charade off?" he asked, looking from Elizabeth to Rossi.

"I'll do whatever is necessary to keep Lizbet safe," Dave replied, his voice hard as he stared at his former wife. "What about you Bethy?"

Lifting her chin, Lizbet tried to think of a way out of this situation. Preferably one that didn't involve her tangling with the Devil. Shaking her head, she gulped. "I'm not an actress, Liv. I'm a writer. I have no idea how in the world you expect me to be able to fool anyone, let alone those closest to me."

"By listening to what we say and following our directions," Olivia replied softly. "I know it's going to hard…"

"Unbearable, Olivia," Lizbet corrected tersely. "It's going to be unbearable."

"But it's temporary," Olivia stressed. "It's a temporary situation, and one that could very well save your life. Isn't that worth the risk, Lizbet?"

Drawing in a deep breath, Lizbet turned to face the now silent, somber man watching their conversation. "How's your head, Aaron?" Elizabeth asked quietly, wincing at the small bruise forming above Hotch's left eyebrow. "I'm really sorry about that."

"Elizabeth," Aaron replied calmly, "My head should be the least of your concerns right now. I'll be fine."

"Thanks," Elizabeth whispered, staring into his familiar eyes. "Aaron, I know you and I haven't exactly seen a lot of each other in the past five years, but I hope you know that I'll understand if you don't want to be a part of this. Livy isn't exactly known for doing things by the Bureau's book."

Glancing at Olivia Pope, Aaron's lips twitched. "I think that's an understatement, but in this case, I agree with her. "

Surprised, Elizabeth cocked her head. "Really? You're usually so rational. You honestly think the plan that she and Dave are suggesting is a good one?"

"Good might be a stretch of the imagination," Aaron replied evenly, "But I think it has merit. You need the protection, that much I fully agree with."

"So, you're in?" Olivia asked shortly, growing impatient. At the rate they were moving, Elizabeth's stalker would make another power play before they ever got a plan in place.

"If I can help, I will," Aaron agreed carefully. "As long as we're not breaking any laws," he warned sternly.

"I don't break the law, Aaron. I may meander through the grey areas, but I don't willfully do anything illegal."

"I think that's a matter of interpretation," Aaron muttered under his breath. "But, as you say, I'm in."

Hearing Aaron agree to play a role in this act of insanity nearly undid Elizabeth. "You're seriously agreeing to this?" Lizbet replied, shock filling her tone. "Now I _know_ I've fallen down a rabbit hole. You all might have agreed to participate in this farce, but I haven't," she declared, crossing her arms over her chest defensively. "Has it crossed anybody's mind that seeing me with another man might just push this guy over the edge?"

"We're counting on it," Dave replied. "When a criminal commits a crime based on an emotional response, they become a lot easier to catch. They make mistakes."

"They also become quite a bit more volatile," Aaron stated cautiously. "Which is why we need to make sure to strengthen security around you."

"Hence why you called Jason," Elizabeth said with a sigh, her words directed at Olivia.

"Exactly," Olivia replied with a smile and a nod.

"Wait," Hotch said, holding up a hand. "Jason? As in, Jason Gideon?"

"Yes," Olivia returned evenly, arching one perfect brow as she defied anyone to contradict her. "He'll be at the Bureau event tonight. I've arranged for him to be seated at the table with us. He'll have eyes on Elizabeth, too."

Stiffening as Olivia spoke, Elizabeth slowly pivoted on her heel and returned her fierce gaze to Olivia. "Wait a minute. Are you suggesting that we begin to spin this lie tonight? At a Bureau sanctioned event, no less? Can't we start on a much smaller scale, Liv. Like, I don't know…a book signing?"

"We want this in the press, Lizbet. We want this to be publicly acknowledged. And given the fact that half the papers in DC will have representatives there in the press pool, this is a golden opportunity."

"In other words," Dave said with a note of finality, "There's no time like the present."

* * *

_**SPECIAL NOTE: AND NOW THE BIG NEWS- THE AWARDS SEASON HAS COMMENCED! Nominations have opened for the third annual Profiler's Choice Awards for Criminal Minds' fandom! Please visit Chit Chat on Author's Corner forum for the nomination ballot, rules and guidelines and category definitions. Please review ALL information BEFORE submitting your nomination ballot. Ilovetvalot, Tonnie2001969, and HXChick are NOT eligible for ANY awards. PLEASE COME BY THE FORUM AND TAKE A LOOK. EVERY NOMINATION BALLOT IS IMPORTANT!**_

_**Also, we have the Halloween Challenge ready for signups at the forum for anyone interested!**_

_**Also, please check out our brand new multi-chapter story, "Love That Does Not Die". It is a Newsroom/Criminal Minds crossover story focusing on the Will/MacKenzie dynamic with special help from David Rossi. Please give it a try!**_

_**Also, there is a new chapter of "You Found Me" available at The Writers Coffee Shop (TWCS) today!**_

_**As always, thank each of you for reading, reviewing, alerting and favoriting our stories. We truly appreciate each one of you.**_


	22. Chapter 22

**The Second Time Around**

**Chapter Twenty-Two**

Staring in abject horror at the group gathered around her, Elizabeth Hudson shook her head as she tried to clear the jumble of thoughts that were threatening to overtake her good senses. "If this is what I do to the heroines in my novels, somebody shoot me."

"Think of this as research for your next book, sweetie." Smiling as she started to nod, Olivia linked her arm through her friend's as she pulled Elizabeth toward the sofa and pushed her gently down onto the cushions. "You were telling me last week that you wanted to branch out into the suspense genre of romance, weren't you? This will be an excellent chance to gather firsthand experience."

"And I'm sure it'll be a best seller," Stephen added helpfully, grinning widely when Dave snorted.

Seeing Dave step forward in the corner of her eye, Olivia held up a hand as she ordered, "Not a word, David."

Ignoring the command, Dave moved to stand behind the sofa as he declared, "Bethy's not going to help herself thinking this is some mamby-pamby paperback romance situation that can be solved in a few pages with champagne and some girl talk, Liv, and you know it!"

"My books aren't mamby-pamby, you son of a donut-eater!" Elizabeth retorted, jerking up on the couch and turning to rest on her knees as she glared at her ex-husband. "I'll have you know my last novel went into its eighth printing in less than 6 months, thank you very much! And last time I checked, I was outselling you in the mass market paperback arena, Agent Holier than Thou."

"Which says a lot about the sad state of affairs in the literary world," Dave retorted, flushing when she started spouting statistics at him.

"Meaning what, David?" Lizbet asked with flashing eyes. "That you're the better writer here? Is that what you're trying to say? Or, are you just determined to belittle the career I've worked my ass off to build? You always were good at that," she raged icily, bitterness creeping into her voice.

"Dammit," Dave growled as he lost even more footing with the beautiful woman facing him, "I never said that. And I've never begrudged your desire to write your little romances…not even when we were married. If you remember, I encouraged you to try your hand at writing. I thought it would stop you from bleeding all over _my _manuscripts, remember?"

"My _little romances_," Lizbet echoed, nearly shaking with anger. "There's nothing little _about_ my romances, David. My books are full length novels that explore the relationship dynamic between two characters. There's plot development. There's in depth research. There's…"

Holding up his hands, Dave yelled, "Okay! You win! You've cornered the market on chick lit. You're a dynamo with the airport crowd! You're…"

Olivia's eyes widened as she caught Lizbet reaching for the crystal candy dish on the coffee table. "Lizbet, no!" she shouted a split second before the bowl went hurtling through the air, showering Rossi with gumdrops just before the glass dish bounced off his skull and landed on the thick carpet beneath his feet. "Don't throw that," she said weakly.

"I am a bestselling authoress, you pigheaded ass," Elizabeth spat, surging off the sofa as she watched Dave rub his head. "You're problem is that you can't swallow that lump of pride in your throat and admit that I outdid YOU! I beat you at your own damn game, David. And I didn't do it by hurting anybody else in the process!"

Quickly rising from his own seat, Aaron stepped between Elizabeth and Dave, raising his voice as he said, "I think we're drifting away from the focus of this conversation. Let's redirect, shall we?" he asked, exchanging a meaningful look with Olivia.

"Absolutely," Liv agreed readily, prepared to side with Hotch this one time in the interest of peace. "Aaron is right."

"What?" Dave and Lizbet both blurted in unison, each shocked that Olivia and Aaron would align themselves uniformly on any topic.

"We need to focus, Dave," Aaron reiterated. "If I understand everything correctly, you and Elizabeth are to launch your reconciliation tonight. You're hardly going to be able to do that if you goad your ex-wife into putting you in traction."

"And you need to garner your strength for what's undoubtedly going to be a stressful evening in the public eye," Olivia warned Elizabeth.

Shoulders sagging, Lizbet collapsed back onto the couch. "You want me to be a social butterfly again," she said morosely.

"I do," Olivia agreed avidly. "And I want you and Dave photographed as much as possible. I'll call in favors to get them published in the papers, but it's up to you two to make this look convincing. That part, I can't do for you."

Elizabeth wanted to throw up. The idea of staring adoringly into her former husband's eyes was enough to put a strain on her, but the fact that she still had feelings for the oaf? That made it unbearable. But, what choice did she have? She was backed into a corner with one way out.

And David Rossi was her golden ticket.

"I don't have anything to wear," Lizbet mumbled under her breath, willing to grasp at any straw that might buy her a reprieve from this orchestrated farce, if only for a day.

"That is a situation that will be rectified shortly," Liv informed her best friend calmly. "I took the liberty of having Huck go pick up a dress for you. He'll be back soon with dress, shoes and jewelry to match."

Blinking, Lizbet should have known that Livvy would plan for everything . She always did. "Okay, so you've got my wardrobe covered, but what about afterwards?"

"Afterwards?" Hotch repeated, frowning.

"_Yeah_, afterwards," Elizabeth returned. "Liv already told me I can't come home and I assume I'm putting her in danger by staying here. Where are you guys gonna put me? A hotel?" she asked.

Exchanging another look fraught with tension with Aaron, Olivia smiled tightly. "Well, I know you're going to have a strong, visceral reaction to this idea, but…."

Elizabeth blanched as she recognized exactly what direction her friend was headed down. "Oh, God," she whispered as her eyes traveled to Dave.

"Oh, cut the crap, Liv. Lizbet isn't an idiot," Dave said bluntly, his own gaze meeting his ex-wife's. "For the foreseeable future, you'll be living with me again, Elizabeth."

And that's when she knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that the path to hell was indeed paved with good intentions. For no matter how good she had been, she was obviously headed deep into the fiery depths…with no escape in sight.

* * *

_**SPECIAL SIDE NOTE – Sarah O'Rourke (the professional pen name that ilovetvalot and tonnie2001969 use) has released a NEW book on amazon. Com – Please swing by and check out **__**"The Devil's Snare"**__**. Please check out our other books as well. They are **__**"Inescapable Eye of the Storm"**__** and **__**"The Estate"**__** And please feel free to friend Sarah O'Rourke on Facebook! **_


	23. Chapter 23

_**Dear Friends,**_

_**It's been a while again, I know. With the hubby out of the country and both kids birthdays during the month of February, it's been a hugely busy time. Oh, the joy of being a military wife! But, I'm trying to be more consistent with updates now. We'll see how it goes. To those who have asked, NOTHING is being abandoned. It's just taking me awhile to get updated. My writing partner and I are working to bring you both quality chapters of fanfiction AND new, professional work by our pen name, Sarah O'Rourke. Those books are available on amazon and kindle. I hope you'll check it out. ALSO, to those that have asked, our story, "Unexpected Surprises" is no longer available on fanfiction. We have taken it down to revamp it into an original work for Sarah O'Rourke. We'll let you know when it is available. We hope you won't be disappointed.**_

_**Thank you for sticking with us! We adore hearing from you!**_

_**All our best,**_

_**Ilovetvalot and tonnie2001969**_

* * *

**The Second Time Around**

**Chapter Twenty-Three**

If this was hell, then obviously the definition of evil had changed since she last checked. Glancing around the overflowing ball room, Lizbet tugged serendipitously at the delicate lilac silk that clung perfectly to her hips, molding to her curves and displaying them to their highest advantage. From the moment Olivia had selected that gown from the choices that Huck had delivered and slipped the dress over her head, Lizbet had known it was going to be skin-tight, and no amount of pleas or threats she had uttered could sway the other woman into choosing another dress.

It had to be this one. This dress – or lack thereof - was guaranteed to make her the center of attention and to keep all eyes completely focused on her tonight.

And while Lizbet was certain that Olivia's plan would succeed, the only set of eyes that she cared about at the moment belonged to the man that was standing not-so-patiently at her side. Oh, she had seen the flash of hunger in his gaze when she'd stepped into Olivia's living room earlier, completely transformed into the image of a woman that she'd sworn never to portray again. Dave's eyes had raked over her then, and even from across the room, she had seen him visibly swallow.

Well, she thought to herself again, at least she still had some power left over the big oaf. Even if it was only physical. Now, if only they could make through the night without maiming one another, they might have a chance at pulling off the biggest con of the century.

She felt Dave's hand settle against the small of her back, and she fought valiantly against the warmth that suddenly seeped into spine. He's here to protect you, she warned herself as she stiffened. But did he have to look so stunning in that tux, she asked herself plaintively, whining in her own mind as her hand tried to loosen the unforgiving dress once again.

Leaning down to whisper in his ex-wife's ear, Dave murmured, "Honey, you're not going to budge that gown from those perfect hips of yours, so quit trying."

"It's too tight," Lizbet muttered.

"In all the right places," Dave agreed, his eyes falling to the risqué decolletage displayed before him. His first reaction to the creation she wore tonight had been hunger. Unfettered, unquenchable hunger. Then it had dawned on him that not only was he going to see her in the lovely little number she wore, but so was every other red-blooded man in the room, and he'd had to resist the urge to roar.

Hell, he knew Liv had a plan. But watching other men ogle his wife…ehrmm..his _ex_-wife, he grudgingly amended silently, well, that definitely hadn't been part of _his _plan. If they'd still been married, he'd have taken her back into the bedroom and ripped the dress off her. But, alas, he'd lost those rights. At least, for now, and he was forced to watch yet another guy eye Elizabeth's assets appreciatively from across the room.

Curling his arm around her, he tugged her closer as he glared at the would-be interloper. Although, he couldn't blame him. Not really. He would never be able to deny that she was gorgeous. Lizbet had _always _been beautiful, but the passing years had only added to her allure. And now, he found himself falling under her spell once more. Along with every other man within their breathing distance.

"Stop staring at me," Lizbet bit out, blushing as she twisted the skin of his hand painfully. "It's rude."

"And necessary," Dave growled in response. "I am supposed to be playing the part of a besotted fool again, remember? Longing looks fueled by passion and all that crap. You might try it, babe. We're supposed to be convincing."

"I'm hanging off your arm, half-naked. I'd say I'm doing my part. And trust me, David, at no point in our former relationship could you be categorized as a _besotted _anything. A fool, yes. Besotted, no," Lizbet grumbled back, pulling her silky throw closer as she felt the eyes of another man raking her. She'd never liked being the center of attention, but that's exactly what was expected of her tonight.

"Bethy, you're going to have to relax if you want this plan to be a success," Dave admonished when she tensed underneath his arm. "Right now, nobody here is gonna believe that you and I have fallen back into love. You cringe every time I put my hands on you, for God's sake. At least try to make this believable."

"I _am_ trying," Lizbet snapped under her breath. "I'm here, aren't I?" she said, forcing herself to smile tightly and nod at Erin Strauss as she passed by them and winked.

"You know, there was a time when you didn't find my touch quite so…"

"Repulsive?" she supplied helpfully, smiling up at him.

"I was going to say unwanted," Dave replied with a chuckle. "In fact, you used to enjoy it quite a bit."

"I used to do lots of things that weren't good for me," Lizbet agreed with a roll of her eyes. "Fortunately, I grew up and realized that I only had one life to live. Therefore, I had to be careful with it."

"For tonight, why don't you try to walk on the wild side and recall just how much you once enjoyed my dedicated attention?" Dave recommended huskily, sliding his palm against her flat stomach as he tugged her back to rest against his chest.

For a moment, she softened, allowing herself to feel his comforting warmth before her eyes widened as she felt something hard prod her rump through the dress. "So help me God, David," she whispered violently, "That had better be your gun that I feel against me."

Smirking, Dave dropped his head to whisper seductively against her ear. "One of 'em, Bethy. If you recall, I was always locked and loaded when you were near me. I guess some things never change."

Jaw dropping at his blatant innuendo, Lizzie felt Dave propel her forward as the couple in front of them finished handing their coats to the attendant in front of them.

"C'mon, babe. It's showtime."


	24. Chapter 24

**Hello, friends! Just want to make a quick announcement that the May Challenge –"The Dearly Departed Death Fic Challenge" is available for sign-ups at the forum until April 30. We hope everybody will visit 'Chit Chat on Author's Corner' forum and give it a look. **

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* * *

**The Second Time Around**

**Chapter Twenty-Four**

She was certain that if she had to force a smile for one more minute, she was going to lose all feeling in her cheeks. Her lips were permanently stretched, and she just knew that she was going to have a killer headache in the morning.

If she survived the night, that was. For two hours, she had been the perfect example of a fawning date for the great David Rossi, never more than two feet away from his side. The man had taken possessiveness to new heights, literally growling at any man who had so much as glanced in her direction.

Too bad he hadn't been that way in the last days of her their marriage, she thought as she reached for a glass of champagne sitting on the table in front of them, stretching her legs and discretely slipping off her heels and resting her aching ankles. And then, just as quickly, she snapped the door shut on that thought. No thoughts of marriage…especially marriage to Don Juan Casanova Rossi, she warned herself sharply.

But stealing a glance at his profile as he chatted with the agent on the other side of him, Elizabeth Hudson couldn't help but admit that David Rossi was still handsome. And debonair. And everything in between.

And if she wasn't careful, she was about to let the old feelings that she had attempted to bury come rising quickly to the surface and ruin the façade she had so carefully snapped into place.

She couldn't have feelings for him. Not now. Not ever.

Or could she?

Surrounded by old friends and new acquaintances alike, she was only certain of one thing. She wanted this night to end soon. Feeling Dave's hand covering hers on the ivory table cloth, she silently willed it to move. It felt too right. Too achingly familiar to be a good thing for her fragile psyche, damn it.

With every rumble of his deep voice, she felt a jolt of longing zing through her. There was a time when she'd have acted on her desire and ran her hand up and down his hard thigh underneath the cover of the table. She'd have toyed with him, relentlessly pushing him until he lost control and hauled her out of this black tie affair. He'd have spent hours punishing her in the very best and most passionate of ways until both of them were exhausted.

Those impulsive days were long passed, however. Now, she understood all too well that if you played too close to the fire, the flame would eventually singe your skin. Such things hurt. They left scars….reminders that everything had a cost.

"Lizbet?" Penelope Garcia asked from across the table. "I just have to tell you how much of a fan I am of your work. Agent Tightlipped over there," she said with a reproachful look a Dave, "never told us that you were _the _Elizabeth Hudson. I've reread "A Heart Awakened" sixteen times . It's my all-time favorite!" she gushed.

"Thank you so much," Lizbet replied politely. She was always thrilled to meet her fans and this bubbly blonde had welcomed her to the table with open arms. According to Dave, Aaron had contacted each member of their team this afternoon and briefed them on her current situation. Each had agreed to help in any way they could. "I have a sequel planned for this fall. It should be ready for release by early summer if my muse cooperates."

Eyes widening, Penelope bounced in her seat, slapping her date with the back of her hand. "Did you hear that , Hot Stuff! A sequel!" she squealed.

Shooting Lizbet a grin, Derek Morgan wrapped an arm around the excited woman at his side. "I heard, Baby Girl," his deep voice said smoothly. "You'll have something to take to the beach with us."

"Don't let him fool you." Penelope grinned, rolling her eyes. "He's read it, too. Twice."

"Mama!" Derek admonished, shooting a look around the table to see if any of his colleagues had overheard that little tidbit of information.

Laughing lightly, Lizbet smiled. "I'm glad to hear it. I try to include enough of a suspense storyline to keep the male demographic reading, too," she added to save Morgan's pride.

"Well, I loved "The Eternal Bite"," Emily Prentiss admitted with a shy smile. "Do you plan on doing any more supernatural romances?"

Taking a sip of her champagne, Elizabeth relaxed slightly. Talking about her novels always made her feel a little more confident. "I'd considered it. The genre is certainly growing for it. I'm most comfortable writing good, old fashioned romance, though."

"All your books are spectacular," Penelope replied. "It seems like anything you tackle makes it straight to the bestseller lists. And those love scenes….Whew!" she said, fanning herself dramatically.

"Well, she did have Rossi as her inspiration," Aaron Hotchner stated dryly, loud enough to be overheard. "I can't say how glad I am that you and Dave have reconciled," he commented purposefully, catching Olivia Pope's almost imperceptible nod of encouragement.

Playing his part, Dave slipped his arm around Lizbet and dropped a kiss against her cheek. "I'm just thrilled she decided to give me a second chance. I'm determined to make the most of it," he replied easily, aware there was a camera aimed at them and at least three of DC society's most talkative gossips parked at the long table they sat at. "Isn't that right, cara?"

"Of course," Lizbet managed, turning her head toward Dave and trying to smile convincingly.

"Ohhhh, do I hear wedding bells in the future?" Penelope squealed, completely unaware that this wasn't a real reconciliation. While Aaron had explained the Lizbet was in danger, he hadn't informed anyone that the reconciliation was a full blown hoax. Only he, Dave and JJ knew that little piece of trivia.

Smiling coyly, Dave shrugged. "I wouldn't say no to taking that long walk with Bethy again."

Choking on her drink at the question, Lizbet's eyes watered as she coughed. Feeling Dave's hand against her back, she gasped for breath.

"Bethy? Are you alright?" Dave asked when the worst of the coughing had subsided.

"Fine," Lizbet replied weakly. "I guess that went down the wrong way."

"In more ways than one," Gideon murmured with an amused look at Elizabeth.

Poking Jason in the ribs with her elbow, JJ smiled at Lizbet. "You know, I was just going to go outside and grab some fresh air on the balcony. You feel like coming along, Lizbet?"

"God, yes," Elizabeth replied gratefully, ready to jump on any opportunity to flee if only for a few minutes. "Thank you, I think I will."

Grabbing Lizbet's elbow when she would have risen, Dave murmured, "I'm not so sure that's a great idea."

"We'll be fine, Dave," JJ smiled, patting her thigh as she rose. "I can assure you that I came prepared for anything tonight," she said, her eyes assuring him that somewhere on her body she was fully locked and loaded.

"I think I'll take that stroll with you two ladies," Gideon offered graciously.

"Just for a few minutes then," Dave said with a forced smile at Jason. "The dancing will begin soon."

"Oh, goody," Lizbet muttered under her breath as she stood. "Let's go, JJ."


End file.
